Defining Moments
by DreamsInColor8
Summary: A high-bond, dangerous FTA may just be her last as Stephanie considers a career change after realizing a certain man in black may never come around. Surprised by her own determination and strength, Stephanie learns she might be able to face anything...Strong Steph, OCs, eventual Babe
1. Chapter 1

A/N: *Peeks out from rock I've been hiding under for 3 years.* I'm back with a new story. I've been writing, but haven't finished anything. I finally have a story that will get an ending. This story takes place after the first 12 books. I don't really like how the series is going now, so I kind of pretend it doesn't go past book 12 although I have read many more than that so if I get details mixed up-I apologize. I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think. Any errors are all mine.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of JE's characters and make no profit off of making them do what I want.

Enjoy!

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Haunted by Taylor Swift

 _"You and I walk a fragile line_  
 _I have known it all this time_  
 _But I never thought I'd live to see it break_  
 _It's getting dark and its all too quiet_  
 _And I can't trust anything now"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 1: Crushed**

Steph's POV

My name is Stephanie Plum, and I'm a friggin' disaster on two legs. I'm just shy of 30 with crazy curly brown hair, bright blue eyes, and Italian/Hungarian heritage. I'm lucky with the genes as I have a fast metabolism. It lets me eat just about anything without it showing up too much on the waistline. In order to understand my not so stable, not so adult life I should probably start off from the beginning.

I have begun to realize that there are moments in life that can redefine you, moments that can break, moments that can make you. I have had several (or more than several) of these moments in my life.

The first memory that defined my childhood was when I was six years old. I had a natural curiosity which I'm sure my mother resented. Of course, that only made me even more curious. She always told my sister and I not to play with or associate with the Morelli boys. Apparently, they had a bad reputation, but as a six-year-old, I just wanted what I wasn't supposed to have. My curiosity got the better of me. Joe Morelli, the younger of the two, invited me into his father's garage to play a "big kid game" called choo-choo. Even more, intrigued at a "big kid game" I was eager to show him I was a big kid. He sat me up in a chair and explained he was the train and I was the tunnel. He then proceeded to use his fingers to go through my tunnel. I was really bummed that I hadn't gotten to be the train because being the tunnel sucked. It made me feel all weird inside. Somehow, my mother found out that I interacted with the Morelli boy and stopped letting me play in the yard alone.

The second big moment to define my childhood and my life was when I was eight years old. I had a penchant for superheroes, and I always wanted to be Wonder Women. I decided to take matters into my own hands. I got myself up onto the garage roof, did my Wonder Woman stance, took a deep breath and lunged off. I kept my eyes open and took in the view of most the houses in the neighborhood. It was a great three seconds, and then I crashed into reality and was left with a broken arm. My mother was furious. My father a little sympathetic and supportive but mostly indifferent. My sister about the same as my mother. They only cared about what the rest of the residents in our neighborhood would say. After surgery, I was grounded for three months and they took away my action figures.

The next big moment was when I was sixteen years old. I had managed to keep my head down in the Burg. My mother still constantly harassed me and asked why I couldn't be more like Saint Valerie, my perfect Burg sister. I was working at my after-school job at the Tasty Pastry, getting ready to close up when in walked none other than Joseph Morelli. As we had gotten older, we never spoke much but he only got more attractive and had a big reputation as a ladies' man with a lizard tongue. It kind of frightened me, but I never thought he would turn it on me. He informed me he was going into the Navy, sweet talked me into giving up my virginity right there on the floor behind the eclair case. I'm not sure it's something I wanted per se, but when you've never been with a man before it's hard to say no even when it doesn't feel right. He walked right out and never looked back. He wrote "lovely" poems about me on the bathroom wall in Mario's Sub shop which got me grounded for the rest of my high school career.

Those moments in my adolescence defined who I am today and shaped me into the woman I have become. I am nothing like my mother or sister. Both of whom think being a wife and mother is the best and only job a woman should have. Now, there's nothing wrong with that, but they shouldn't get mad at me because I preferred playing with superheroes or practicing sports. I never learned how to cook, and I burned almost everything I tried. My mother would sigh in exasperation, utter a "why me," and drink her "iced tea."

When I was 22, the pressure got the best of me, and I ended up marrying Richard Orr, a lawyer with a bright future. Dickie, as he called himself (or the horse's patoot if you ask my grandma), was a good-looking all-American boy who was in the top ten percent of his class from Princeton. My mother was overjoyed when I brought him home, and with the unfamiliar feeling of acceptance, I kept on dating him. I ignored his long hours, his constant nagging about anal sex and his coke habit. On my wedding day, my mother was happier than I was. Grandma Mazur was the only one who knew I wasn't feeling exactly what I should have been but judging on my past experiences I didn't even know what "right" felt like. We tied the knot, said 'I do's and our relationship only got worse. It seemed the only sex position he liked was doggy style and twice he tried sticking it in the wrong hole. Those incidents made me cry. I felt like a failure and couldn't understand why I didn't like marriage the way my mother, sister, and friends seemed to. Two weeks into the marriage I came home from my work as a discount lingerie buyer at E.E. Martin to find him screwing my arch nemesis Joyce Barnhardt on our dining room table. I made our divorce very public, and let's just say Dickie will not be reaching his political aspirations.

The next big moment started when I got laid off from my stable, if not boring, job as a lingerie buyer for EE Martin. Damn crooks were working with the mob, and it finally caught up with them—and me. I got laid off like the rest of the poor schmucks working for the company at the time.

After that unfortunate incident, I was desperate enough to bribe my sleazy cousin Vinny to give me a job as a bond enforcement agent at his bail bonds agency. Really, I guess that stupidity is what started me on this downward spiral. I was untrained, only had a bachelor's in business from Douglass and experience buying cheap lingerie. Dammit, I had marketable skills. I could have moved away from Jersey, but I guess that was out of my comfort zone. So, I forged ahead with being a bounty hunter, I mean hell—a guy named Dog could do it. Never in a million years would I believe it would change me the way it has.

First, my job as a bounty hunter rekindled my connection with the finest ass in Trenton aka Joseph Morelli. The reformed bad boy who came back from the Navy and became a police officer. After returning from the Navy, I did manage to clip him with my father's Buick and break his leg. That was for the poems and not calling. After turning him in (and helping clear his name) while he was FTA, he has become my on-again-off-again boyfriend. I don't really know why. It's not like he's treated me that well in the whole time I've known him. But what was once my mother telling me to stay far from the Morelli boys is her now telling me that Joe is my last chance at becoming a wife and mother. Now, I know what going into a marriage I don't want is like, and while Joe is nowhere near as bad as Dickie, I still have that fear. Joe and I have brought up marriage a few times but I don't think either of us is that serious.

Second, my job as a bounty hunter brought a dangerously handsome mercenary into my life. Now Ricardo Carlos Mañoso aka Ranger is Cuban-American, ex-Special forces, badass bounty hunter/businessman. He's got sharp dark chocolate brown eyes that don't miss anything and a body that would make a Nun consider turning in her habit. His body is that way because he trains meticulously and eats food fit for rabbits. Not many people know him, and I am one of the few who can say I do. Alas, knowing Ranger just means being able to decipher his one-word answers, seeing his eyes turn a molten chocolate when he looks like he wants to eat me, and seeing the upward tick of his mouth when he's amused. I can also see the tell-tale clenching of his jaw that tells me he's less than amused and pissed off. Ranger doesn't really do emotions, but I can see them hiding right behind the surface. It bothers me sometimes how difficult it is to get a read on him when it seems he can read me like an open book. Our relationship is complicated, to say the least.

I don't know the exact moment it happened. In fact, I don't think there is a singular moment that defines it. All I know is that every day I felt it, and I felt it grow. Every moment he kept me safe, every time he was there for me whether it be through his actions or his emotions. Even when he pushed me away, told me to return to Morelli. God, that cut deep. It hurt so much I could barely breathe yet I understood. We had an agreement and as much as it hurt, I could never hate him, could never turn my back on him. If I had to pinpoint a moment, the true moment of full realization was when he walked into that apartment for me and Julie. Seeing him get shot and being helpless to do anything. Worrying for hours about if he would be okay. If he hadn't made it, I think my heart would have full on shattered without hope of ever being repaired. After that it was hard to keep a distance, to keep the emotions in check. My relationship with Morelli went downhill. How could I keep pretending to be okay in a relationship where my love for him was more friend than a lover?

Ranger always said he'd be in my bed if it was empty long enough, and well Joe and I have been officially over for six months. I stopped by Joe's house one day to surprise him, but I was the one who got the surprise when I found a naked Terry Gilman sleeping in his bed. In true Stephanie fashion, I made a scene and let all his neighbors know. I then avoided his calls for three months. I also try to avoid him, but rumor is he wants to talk to me. According to the grapevine, "It was all just a big misunderstanding." I wasn't falling for that baloney

All of these big realizations and events led to tonight. I don't know why I thought it was a good idea but I decided to follow Ranger after him acting suspiciously when he mysteriously dropped in on me at home. I'm jolted back to the present when I see a flash of blonde hair.

My heart clenches when I realize Ranger is meeting Jeanne Ellen Burrows. I will not cry; I will not cry. I try to convince myself that it is nothing, that he would not be into her. But rational Stephanie asks, why wouldn't he be into her? She's gorgeous in an I can kill you with my hairband kind of way. She has a slim figure with huge boobs. Then there's me, a meager B cup with pants that sometimes don't snap after a couple of pieces of Pineapple Upside-down Cake. I feel disgusted with myself. First, I actually believed I had a chance with a guy like Ranger. Second, I followed him all the way out to his meeting with skanky Jeanne. Third, seeing all of this and realizing all of these things makes me want to cry. God, am I pathetic or what? And the worst part is that Ranger probably spotted me tailing him and knows exactly how pathetic poor Stephanie Plum is. There he was just using me all of this time. He used me for "entertainment" and just liked to see me get all flustered any time he came near. I bet he just loves the power he thinks he has over me. I watch as they embrace. I can hardly see Jeanne because Ranger is blocking her, but I'd say they're kissing. I turn away feeling the tears well in my eyes and remembering the feeling of Ranger's lips on mine. We had just been in the alley earlier today, and I had just replayed that scene in my head. Damn, I am so naïve. I feel a sharp jab in my chest. I've been played and played well. I quietly turn my car back on, leaving the lights off until I get on the road, going home, in the opposite direction of Ranger.

Once I'm on the highway, I can't help but let the tears come down. They fall steadily and silently as I swallow the sobs before they break free. My heart feels like it's in a vice grip. I guess I've known since the Scrog incident how I've felt about Ranger, but seeing him with another woman just makes my feelings seem unwarranted and silly. He could never return the feelings I have for him.

I arrive back at my apartment, having to go slow most the way home because of the tears blurring my vision and because it began to rain uncontrollably. I think it's fitting considering the whirlpool of my emotions tonight. I sigh as I realize the only spot open in my lot is the one next to the dumpster. Damn shitty parking karma. Damn, shitty life karma. I guess my mother has something right, all her whining and "why me's?" Maybe I understand it now, and maybe these feelings and situation are punishment for not following my mother's advice for all these years. I pull into the spot, far away from my building and next to the overflowing dumpster. The rain has not let up. I'm sure my face looks terrible: all swollen and blotchy from crying. I shut off the engine, sigh and lay my arms on the steering wheel. I take a deep breath, open the door, and step into the rain. It's still pouring, but I don't care. I'm already a mess in every sense of the word. I lock the car even though somebody would have to be really hard up to steal that piece of shit. It's a black Honda Passport that has seen better days, but I got it after my last car was blown up by an angry skip.

I stand in the rain for a moment, letting it wash over me. It feels nice against my overheated skin. Now, no one would know right away that I'd been balling my eyes out. I trudge to the door of my apartment building and head inside. I take the stairs instead of the elevator, fewer people to run into and another way to punish myself.

I'm dripping water and panting a little as I finally get to the doorway. I put the key in the lock and swing open my door. My apartment is quiet except for the hum of the rain and the squeaking as Rex runs on his hamster wheel. I lock the door behind me, and head into the kitchen. Thankfully, I've caught the last five of my skips back to back and have had a rather steady income. I have food and, more importantly, wine. I pull out a bottle of a Moscato. I'd get out a glass, but I know I'm going to be finishing off the bottle. I decided I should probably change into dry clothes before chugging the bottle, crying, and passing out. I change into some sweatpants and a blue t-shirt. I put on some fuzzy socks and head back into the kitchen. I decided I might as well play some music to dance to. I blast my phone and some sappy, yet easy to jam to music by Heart comes on. First comes "What about Love" and boy do I get into it. I take some sips out of the bottle for good measure. I need to loosen my hips after all.

"What about love?! Don't you want someone to care about you?!" I belt out the tunes loudly and off-key. "What about love?! Don't let it slip awaaaayyyyyy!" I drink some more and I notice half the bottle is gone. The awful singing, the half gone bottle of wine makes me giggle. No wonder Ranger isn't interested in this. The thought makes me laugh harder. I am a mess with no plan in life, and then there's Ranger who owns his own friggin' company. I drink some more wine. I'd been a fool to think I was anything other than the entertainment allowance on his budget. Well, I decide, no more. I won't give him anything to laugh at. I will be better at my current job, find a new job, and find someone I could actually see myself with in the future. That's right, I'm going to be the new and improved Stephanie Michelle Plum. I'll never have to deal with Ranger or any of his men again. I drink some more wine, and I can definitely feel the alcohol start to hit me. I welcome the feeling. The next song that comes on is Pat Benatar's "Love is a Battlefield." Honestly, I don't know why these songs have such a theme relating to love, but they're good, belt your heart out songs. Maybe the theme is trying to tell me something, but in my foggy state I sure as hell am in no mood to listen.

I continue to listen to music until the wine bottle is completely empty and my eyelids feel like a hundred pounds. I make it to the couch where I promptly fall asleep (more like pass out, but who wants to admit to that?).

I slowly feel my body waking up. Ouch, I feel sore all over. What did I do yesterday? As I start stretching slowly, I realize I was sleeping on my cramped couch. My neck promptly protests and I groan. I must have slept with my neck at an odd angle because it hurts to move and feels stiff. Moving my neck, moves my head which does not like moving so fast. I feel like I am spinning, and I haven't even gotten up yet. Ugh, reasons to not drink a whole bottle of wine in one night. I'm afraid to open my eyes, but I forge through anyways. I head to the kitchen where I grab some water and aspirin. After popping two, I grab a Coke and a Tasty-Cake since I have no fries. I usually like going to McDonald's for a large fry and Coke which takes care of the hangover. Since I don't feel like driving I'll make do. I've decided to push Ranger out of my mind as much as possible and focus on being a better me.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful responses I received. I will be posting this today, earlier than I expected but I finished it and didn't want to make you wait. After this chapter I will be sticking with weekly updates. So keep your eyes peeled every Wednesday. As always, let me know what you think by leaving a review!

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Changes by Langhorne Slim & The Law

 _"Things could be stranger but I don't know how_

 _I'm going through changes now_

 _I've spent a lifetime trying to figure it out_

 _I'm going through changes now"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 2: New and... Improved?  
**

Steph's POV

A knock at my door startles me out of my self-inspection. I had been resting my hands on my sink, staring deeply into the mirror at my skin. I had little to no wrinkles, which I find to be somewhat of a miracle at the ripe age of 29. My eyes, still hold their startling blue color and continue to be one of my best features. My eyebrows need a wax and thankfully, my upper lip only contains small peach fuzz. All in all, not too shabby. The hang-over is pretty much gone after a shower and food. I step back and make sure I am decent before heading to the door. Looking out the peep-hole, I let out a big sigh.

"Joe," I state, swinging the door open wide. "How many times do I have to tell you?" He's standing there with flowers. The third bouquet he's given me in all the years he's known me—and all of them came after our break up.

"C'mon Cupcake, we're good together," he says lowering his voice, "we're meant to be, even my Grandma Bella agrees." I blow out a stream of air. Apparently, his Grandma Bella isn't psychic after all or she's having an off day.

"Joe it won't work! It's been almost six months already," I reply, trying to rein in my Italian temper. He shoots me a smirk and turns on his bedroom eyes. Thankfully, I invested in a new shower massager just so I wouldn't give in to temptation. The daily Boston Crème donut helps too and considering the crying and drinking I did last night, I'm in no mood.

"Cupcake, stop playing. The boys miss you," he states wiggling his eyebrows, "I miss you." I'm not sure how I ever found it attractive when he did this. I shake my head. Terri should be filling his "needs." I have heard she dumped his sorry ass when she found out he was trying to win me back.

"Joe, I'm sorry to break it to you, but I don't miss you," I say keeping my voice level. I don't want to hurt him, but he doesn't seem to get it. He throws the flowers down. He makes a sound of disgust.

"I don't know why I keep bothering." He storms away angrily. I sigh, pick up the flowers and shut the door. A single tear rolls down my cheek. I am pushing away the only man who wants me and probably making a huge mistake. I rest my head against my door. It's the right thing to do. I should focus on myself and getting over Ranger since I don't have a chance with him. He's told me enough times that he's not marriage material and that while he loves me, it can never be more than sex. Seeing him with Jeanne Burrows just shows he's not interested in me at all. I sigh as I place the flowers in a vase. I look around my dismal apartment. It's time to grow up, Steph. I barely make enough money to pay rent and feed my pet hamster. Now that I won't be with Joe, I need to really think hard about what I want in life. After all, I never know what could happen.

I decide my first order of business is to finally make friends with my gun. I need it, and I've used it before. If Scrog has taught me anything, it's that I need to be more prepared. I sigh as I take it out of the cookie jar. I make sure it's loaded and stick it back in. I'm going to change into some athletic clothes, jog and stop by the bonds office. The thought of exercise does not excite me in the least. In fact, it makes my stomach clench and my feet feel like lead. I contemplate on if I really need to do it, and then I see Ranger coming through my front door and getting shot all over again. I straighten my shoulders, take a deep breath and exhale. I need to do this. With my new resolve, I head into my bedroom, find a pair of black Capri leggings and pull on a sports bra and a Ranger's tank-top. I put on some socks and lace up my Nikes. I pull my unruly hair back into a ponytail and swipe on a few layers of mascara for confidence. This is the new and improved Stephanie Plum!

I do some stretches, put my gun in the holster under my tank top, and put my keys in my pocket. I am ready to go. I also feel like I might end up regretting going for a jog and then having to walk home. I bite my lip before sucking it up and heading out the door. I opt for the stairs instead of the elevator. I need to break old habits. My eating may never change, but I do need to be more in shape if I want to get better at apprehending skips. I'm not overweight or anything, but I do have a few more rolls than I'd like. I slide my sunglasses on as I squint into the Spring sun. At least it's not sweltering out just yet. I take a deep breath and start on my jog. I take it slow. I decide to go through the park instead of staying on the street. I don't feel like dealing with all the honking. Ten minutes in and I have a stitch in my side, my face is beet red, and I'm panting like a dog. Thankfully, the bonds office is in sight. See, I tell myself, this isn't that bad. Faster than my car too! I don't have to sit in traffic. I decide to slow to a walk to cool down so I don't completely embarrass myself when I see the girls.

By the time I reach the bonds office door, I've stopped sweating and my face is only flushed. I walk into the smell of donuts. Mmm. I grab a Boston Creme and consume it like it's the best thing on earth. I guess I need it after that awful attempt at a run. Connie barely looks up from painting her nails fire engine red. Connie Rossolli is the office manager for my cousin. God bless her for continuing to work for that weasel. She's about 5'2'' with curves on curves. Her boobs triple mine. I'd say she looks similar to Betty Boop but she sometimes has a fine, thin black mustache. Connie is Italian through and through. She was a few years older than me in school and always bustier. She's got connections to the mob and has put up with my cousin Vinnie for years. She's probably the only woman besides Vinnie's wife Lucille that puts up with him on a day to day basis. When I call Vinnie a weasel or sleazeball, I'm not exaggerating. Vinnie is a thin guy with oily skin and slicked back black hair. He spends most of his days locked behind his office door, but occasionally we can hear the calls of different barnyard animals…Shudder. He has a penchant for kinky stuff in the bedroom which his wife knows nothing about. That's actually how I blackmailed him for the job. For the most part, I try staying clear of him.

"Hey Steph," Connie calls, "I have a couple of files for you, one is pretty big. It's a $250,00 bond with a $25,000 payout. RangeMan isn't doing bonds lower than 500,000 anymore." My mouth drops. This could be the perfect skip for my last go-round as a bounty hunter.

"Whoa! Sounds exciting but who is it? The bond must be high for a reason," I reply feeling excitement hum through my body.

"His name is Ian Bianchi. He's known in Trenton for his drug dealings. I mean none of it can be directly associated, but everybody _knows_ …if you know what I mean. Anyways, because of his associations and the crime, the judge set his bond really high. I'd say he's pretty dangerous, and Vinnie is acting cagey since he skipped," Connie says after a cursory glance over the file again. I feel like she's leaving something out.

"What did he do?" I question, knowing he wasn't brought in on drug charges. She looks me in the eyes, and I know whatever it is cannot be good. Jeez, I hope I'm up for this.

"He beat a DEA agent into a coma. He's currently in critical condition at St. Helen's," Connie says, "He's also suspected for the murder of a girl named Sarah Shupp. Apparently, they were an item but something happened, he blew up and went apeshit. The thing is she disappeared and hasn't been found." I gulp. My Spidey-Sense is going crazy hearing all of this information. I get these feelings sometimes, and they usually help me to figure out the mystery and get my guy. I have a penchant for superheroes and I always wanted to be Wonder Woman. Spidey-Sense is just a logical name for my gut feelings and intuitions.

I take the file from her and open it. The picture of an olive-skinned man in his thirties looks up at me. I notice he has warm brown eyes, buzzed hair and square black-rimmed glasses. He's not bad looking, but he's no model. I skim through the file. Someone posted bail for him, but the name sounds phony. Interesting.

"Steph, listen, I've been hearing things. This guy could be the start of a turf war between the Ramos and Bianchi's. While the Ramos' deal with guns, word on the street is they're not happy about the drug business on their turf. It could get ugly. The Bianchi's are old world Sicilians and have a big reach here in Trenton. The Ramos' are also well known, and something is going to go down." I nod, digesting the information. I think being able to use RangeMan programs would definitely help me with this case, but there is no way I'll be approaching Ranger any time soon. What a case to go out on.

"'Bout time you got yo' ass in here white girl," Lula hollers from the suede couch, "We wanna hear all the juicy gossip!"

Lula is the file clerk here at the office. She's a short voluptuous black woman who likes to fit her 3x body into size M spandex in varying colors. I admire her spunk. She also changes the color of her hair almost every week. I met her in my first year of bounty hunting when I was looking for Joe Morelli. She was a ho at the time but helped me out when I asked her questions. A whacko named Benito Ramirez got ahold of her and left her to die on my fire escape. I got her to the hospital, stayed by her side, and when it was all over she stopped working on the street. She's been working at the Bonds Office since then, and she works as my sometimes partner.

She never fails to disappoint with her clothing and today is no different. She's wearing lime green spandex leggings with a white and lime green leopard print V-neck stretchy top which only leaves a little of her cleavage to the imagination. She's wearing at least 3-inch white shiny heels, has huge white hoop earrings in and a most likely counterfeit Louis Vuitton white purse beside her. Her hair is also dyed lime green, but it's not as blinding as her pants. Sometimes I wish I had her confidence.

I never even saw her on the couch when I walked in which is a miracle when she's practically wearing a neon sign. As Ranger would say, I need to be more aware of my surroundings. Gah, everything reminds me of him. Shaking the man in black from my mind, I wonder if Lula heard everything Connie said to me. Judging by her question, I assume not. I try raising an eyebrow, fail and end up raising both.

"What gossip?" I question, truly surprised seeing as how nothing was different with me from last week other than my heart being shattered after stupidly following Ranger to his meeting with Jeanne.

"Word has it Super Cop is still coming around," Lula states in a matter of fact tone. I shrug.

"Yeah, we heard he was just at your apartment this morning," Connie puts in, looking up to study me for the first time since I walked in. A tingle on my neck tells me Ranger is close. My heartbeat picks up speed and suddenly my hands feel sweaty. Oh god, I didn't imagine having to see him so soon after what I witnessed last night.

"What? No..." I reply my brain fogging up at the thought of facing Ranger. I then realize that Joe did stop by this morning. "Oh wait yeah he was there…" None of us hear the tinkle of bells signaling Ranger's arrival.

"So what, he just stopped by for a quickie?" Lula questions as I look behind me. My hand goes to my neck at the tingle, and my eyes are drawn into the dark chocolate brown ones. His eyes are almost black, his mouth in a tight line. Uh-oh, he's not happy.

"Ladies," he says the one word. Lula and Connie start fanning themselves.

"Batman," Lula whispers in awe as though she's never seen him here before. She snaps out of it, suddenly remembering our conversation. Damn, I wish she were less immune to his charm.

"Look, white girl, you gotta spill the beans," Lula says sternly. I snap out of my Ranger induced stare and look back at Lula.

"I told you guys already, Joe and I are uh… finished," I say with the acute feeling that Ranger is staring a hole in my back. My heartbeat picks up again. Connie and Lula don't seem satisfied.

"Then why is the Burg saying you two have made up?" Connie asks, back to painting her nails. I swallow hard. I didn't want to have this conversation in front of Ranger. It only makes me feel even more pathetic. Knowing I broke up with a semi-stable guy for a man I will never have the way I want. Wait a second, why do I keep forgetting Joe had Terri Gilman in his bed? I guess it was true that we had been on a break, but I have a totally good reason to end it with him. I wish I was anywhere but here right now. Why isn't Ranger saying anything to change the subject?

"I don't know! Maybe because he keeps coming by with flowers in hopes of changing my mind," I reply, exasperated. I'm cranky from Joe stopping by. I'm cranky after going on a fucking run. I'm cranky because I'm standing in the room with the man I do love, and I can't even admit it.

"Can I just have my files so I can go?" I ask pinching the bridge of my nose. I have had more than enough for today. Maybe I'll just slink back into bed.

"Here ya go. Call me with any questions," Connie says quickly, placing them in my hand, obviously noting my desire to leave. I nod quickly, before trying to scoot past Ranger. He places a hand on my arm and a zing shoots through my body. I still, willing my body not to betray me. I don't want him to know how easily he affects me and how much he can still hurt me. I struggle to meet his eyes. His are warm again, probing, trying to understand what is going through my head. I channel my inner Ranger to come up with a blank façade.

"Babe," he utters the one word, and it's as though he's said a sentence. My heart clenches. I do a jerky nod. If he wants something, he's going have to say a few more words.

"Wait for me outside." I press my lips together and swallow hard before giving him a single nod. I head outside before Connie and Lula can comment.

I'm waiting outside, close to the wall, trying to figure out what he wants. Of course, this behavior is normal Ranger. How do I tell him that for me everything has changed? That I can hardly continue to be so close to him when this is all I will ever have of him? I sigh back into the wall, closing my eyes behind my sunglasses. How did I get into this mess? A tingle hums through my body, a sure sign that Ranger has emerged. I don't react. Stay calm Stephanie, you can do this. I feel his heat when he nears me. I finally allow my eyes to open. He's so close I can feel his breath. He moves and pushes my sunglasses up. I squint up at him. His eyes seem a little sad, they study me quickly, and I'm close enough to see the golden flecks scattered through the chocolate brown. He reaches his hand up to brush back an unruly curl that broke free from my ponytail. In a flash, he's pushed me into the alley, and his body is pressed firmly against mine. I hear the almost inaudible groan he makes.

"Babe," he says through clenched teeth as though it's taking all of his control not to snap. "Are you wearing your gun?" His hand skims my side and he pulls up my shirt to reveal my .38 tucked into my side holster. His pupils have dilated and his eyes are now a dark brown practically black. My breathing picks up and suddenly there's an ache between my legs. His muscular thigh is nestled in between mine, and I resist the urge to rub myself against him like a cat in heat. His hand skims my rib cage and I make a small noise. He looks down at me and captures my mouth with his. Our tongues duel for dominance as I let myself get lost in his touch. He pulls away slowly, not giving much space and rests his forehead against mine. His eyes close, and I study his face. He seems stressed like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. Involuntarily, my hand goes to his face and caresses his jaw. I see it tighten almost imperceptibly. I want to tell him how I feel; I want to tell him everything, but the thought of his rejection keeps me from admitting it. Also, a certain blond keeps popping into my mind. He opens his eyes, and they meet mine with a curious glance before his blank face slides into place.

"Are you free tonight?" I nod mutely, my heart suddenly thundering in my chest.

"I'll pick you up at seven. Dress is professional but alluring," he informs me. Oh, a distraction. A laugh bubbles out before I can stop it. For a moment, I thought he was going to ask me on a date. I don't know why he doesn't ask Jeanne for help with these. He quirks an eyebrow at me. I really am going loony. I need time with my shower massager when I get home.

"Why doesn't Jeanne help you?" I reply, feeling used, slightly jealous and mostly hurt. I hated these feelings. I had never been good at expressing them. Hell, Joe and I were in an unhealthy relationship pattern for almost two years, and I could never even say I love you. His finger plays with my loose curl.

"She's not good at them," he replies intently, studying my face, "Besides, I try to avoid her." I scoff in my head. Avoid her? Hell, then I wonder what he was doing with her last night. He seems oblivious about me trailing him last night which is good. He changes the subject abruptly.

"Careful Babe," he says his eyes looking into mine. "I won't be able to stay away if Morelli's gone too long." I feel a stab in my chest at his words. I keep a blank face before curving my lips into a smirk. I don't want him to know how much it bothers me that he only wants me to fill his needs especially when he has Jeanne Ellen on the side.

"Careful Ranger," I reply, finding a boost of confidence out of nowhere, "If Joe's gone long enough, I might find someone who does mind poaching." His eyes widen perceptibly, and I know he is shocked by my words.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have things to do," I say, creating some distance between us. If only I could make my heart realize that Ranger will never be more than a friend.

"Do you need a ride? I noticed your car wasn't in the lot," he asks, his tone unreadable. I shake my head with all of these emotions, maybe the run back will numb me. I slide my sunglasses down as we step into the alley. I want to wait for Ranger to leave first, but it's obvious he's waiting for me. I sigh. Now he'll know I went jogging. I don't know why the thought of him knowing bothers me so much. He always wanted me to train more in the past. With my swirling emotions, I take off at a faster pace than I had coming here. I can tell I won't be able to keep it long, but the feel of Ranger's eyes on me keeps me going. By the time I make it to the park, out of his view, I'm sweating more than I did the entire run to the office. The files in my hand are crumpled and slightly damp. I bend over at the waist and place a hand on the tree. Jesus. My heart is thundering and the sweat is rolling off me in streams. I can feel the heat coming off of my overly flushed cheeks. I felt like I was running from someone… I guess I was.

After calming down, I decide to jog the rest of the way back. I actually feel pretty good now, but I'm sure tomorrow I'll be dying. As soon as I get inside my apartment, I strip off my tank top and head straight to the A/C. I stand there for a few moments, cooling down. Then I decide to stretch. I undo my holster and stick my gun back in the cookie jar. I wobble to the bathroom where I finish stripping down. I turn the water on and wait for it to warm up. I look at myself in the mirror. My face is red, not just flushed but my eyes are sparkling. For the first time today, I feel like everything will work out. I step into the water and the warm water helps relax my muscles. I moan into the spray. I think back to Ranger's glittering eyes and my nipples harden instantly. My fingers slip down between my legs and my other hand grabs the shower head.

After my shower, I set an alarm and flop down into my thinking position. I really don't know how I will continue working with Ranger. I can't seem to stamp down these feelings, not after watching him come so close to death right in front of my eyes. I drift to sleep with him weighing heavily on my mind.

I jolt awake, my heart pounding and I feel the sweat soaking through the back of my shirt. Tears fall from my eyes. My chest is aching. The dream, I should say nightmare, was so real. Scrog got lucky and Ranger didn't make it. I roll into a ball, grasping my knees to my chest. I take some shaky breaths and try to remind myself that Ranger is alive and well. Thinking of Ranger, I check my phone. It's almost 4:30. I turn off my alarm, lay back for a second to calm myself even more. It's been difficult the past eight months. Ever since the incident, I've been having nightmares on and off. It's been difficult especially knowing that I can't show Ranger how I feel. I sigh before getting out of bed. I decide to take a lukewarm shower to rinse off after waking up sweaty.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I know, I know! Such an early update. I'm excited because I received a job offer today, and I'm nervous because I'm hoping to get one from a different company that I would really like to work for (I have until Friday to make my decision & maybe get that other offer). I figured this would help take my mind off of it...andddd because of the good news I will also post on Wednesday. Double the goods for my awesome readers! If you could send good vibes my way, I'd appreciate it!

Thanks for the wonderful response to this story so far! I love hearing what you all think so keep the reviews coming. This chapter is a little shorter and you'll get some insight into the man of mystery, but... he's a man of very little words and so is this chapter. Also yes, that isn't exactly how the song goes, but check it out for yourself...I picked pieces that made me think of Ranger. Please let me know what you think! Enjoy!

* * *

An Evening I Will Not Forget / Furthest Thing by Dermont Kennedy _  
_

 _"When love was found  
I kept my hope just like I hoped to...  
But I still get to see your face, right?  
And that's like nothing they can take, right?_

 _somewhere between I want it and I got it…_

 _somewhere between a mistress and commitment…_

 _and I hate that you think I don't belong to ya…_

 _I can't help it, I can't help it_

 _I was young, and I was selfish..._

 _The furthest thing from perfect"_

 _Defining Moments_

 **Chapter 3: Land called De-ni-al  
**

Ranger's POV

"Update," I command quietly as I pass through the control room. I know I shouldn't be spying like this, but I can't help it. I have a compulsion to know. Thankfully by owning a security company, I have the resources to keep tabs on her. I know she would hate to have such an invasion of privacy. I only keep the small camera outside of her apartment because of all the unwelcome visitors she has. It's better to know who it was, and it could help me if she gets kidnapped again. She would definitely not approve of me using it in this way. I need help.

"Like clockwork, the Cop is going up," Manny informs me, only looking up from the monitor in front of him to gauge my reaction. My blank face is firmly in place. It bothers me. Stephanie has said they've broken up, and yes, they haven't had any "sleepovers" since then but he continues to visit her. I unclench the fist I didn't know I had made. Dammit. I need to get a grip. I'm just waiting for the inevitable make-up that will happen between the two. It doesn't make me happy to think about, but it would be for the best.

"Bossman…" Manny is studying me, "Why don't you just talk to her? This isn't exactly…healthy." He's quiet now, knowing he may have overstepped. I give a nod before going to find Tank. I find him in his office, staring intently at the screen in front of him. Paperwork, his favorite. The thought makes the corner of my mouth tip up. Tank's eyes peer at mine from above the computer.

"Find something funny, Range Man?" he questions, probably correctly assuming my smile is at his unhappiness at paperwork.

"Not at all," I reply letting a real smirk through, "Do we have everything laid out for tonight?" He raises an eyebrow.

"I don't know. Do we have Steph lined up for tonight?" he questions, knowing I've been avoiding her for the past few weeks. If I lived up to my word, I would be filling her bed considering her status with Morelli. I've backed off though. I thought one night with her would satisfy all of my needs, but it only made me want her more. Now, after seeing all she would do for me…Dios…it does something to me. It's just not safe to get any more involved with her. She can't protect herself.

"I'm going to talk to her this morning," I reply, confident she will accept. She always does. Tank grunts. I narrow my eyes at my second in command.

"Do you have something to say?" I inquire. I have an idea of what he will say. He's said it many times before.

"Pull your head out of your ass. Just talk to her man, make her yours for real." His eyes and tone of voice pin me where I am. "And you should know…her tracker was awfully close to yours last night during your… 'meeting.'" I should order him to the mats for talking to me like that, but I can't. Not when a part of me thinks he's right. But what does he mean her tracker was close to mine last night? Last night I was visiting…oh. It must have been a coincidence because I never saw her. I drop it from my mind.

"Too dangerous. I have too many enemies." My tone closes this conversation, and I walk out. It's true and Scrog, while a not a direct enemy, just proved it. I head to my office to go over the details for the distraction tonight. The guy we're after tonight isn't dangerous. He's just wanted for embezzling millions from the investment firm he worked with. I had a feeling Steph would easily get this mark. He's recently divorced and has been visiting the local happy hour bars for a while. The only hang up is that he tends to associate with shadier, scarier crowds and they go out with him.

I lean back in my leather office chair, tilting my head back I close my eyes and sigh. When did I let my life become so complicated with emotions? Some scumbag off the street easily recognized two of the most important people in my life—a life I tried to keep separate. Separate from the mercenary inside me and from the fucked up missions I've been on. There are things that I can never tell Stephanie in a million years and there are other things that I fear telling her because I couldn't bear to see the look of disgust in her eyes. She's my person of solace. The one light in this dark world. It's surprising how optimistic and innocent she is after everything she has gone through. I don't want to be the one to tarnish her.

I come out of my musings and decide it's time to head to the bonds office. She should be there now or arriving soon. I double check that I have my two guns and a knife before heading down to the garage. I pick out Stephanie's favorite, the Porsche 911 Turbo. Not ideal for apprehending skips, but good if I want to take her for a ride and get her excited. I'm not planning on doing that but I know she'll drool over the car anyways.

When I arrive at the bonds office, I notice her car is nowhere to be found. She should be here; it's not like her to not show up unless… the Cop has something to do with it. I sigh. I need to go in anyways. I exit the car and beep it locked. I feel the slight tingle. So she is here, but then where is her car? According to our records, she's driving a 1995 Honda Passport and has had it for three weeks now. Has she had another car disaster I'm unaware of? I enter the office quietly, hoping to hear any news the girls might be talking about. They don't know it, but I've been able to listen to many of their conversations. They really should be more aware of their surroundings.

"Word has it Super Cop is still coming around," I hear Lula state. My heart beat increases, but I slow my breath. I want to hear this; I've been dying to know. Stephanie's response reassures me, "What? No..." But her trailing off worries me and then it's like a sucker punch to my gut. "Oh wait yeah he was there." Lula's next question makes me tense even more.

"So what, he just stopped by for a quickie?" Stephanie's head turns back and her eyes meet mine. She looks like a deer caught in headlights. Does this mean she's guilty of still sleeping with the Cop?

"Ladies," I say smoothly, not giving away anything. No one needs to know what's going through my mind. Lula looks stupefied for a moment. Stephanie and I still have our eyes locked. Only when Lula continues her interrogation does Stephanie break eye contact with me.

I close my eyes briefly and work on controlling this anger surging within me. Goddammit, why does she have such an effect on me?

She weakly denies that the Cop and her are still an item. I can see the frustration within her building. My curiosity is peaked. If her and the cop are really off, then this would be the longest period of time for them. I always told her that if he was out of her bed long enough then I would make a move and ruin her for all other men. I just don't think it's something she really wants. I know she'll go back to Morelli eventually. Connie makes another accusation and Stephanie explodes.

"I don't know! Maybe because he keeps coming by with flowers in hopes of changing my mind," she replies exasperated by this line of questioning. Interesting…maybe she really does mean it this time.

She gets her files, and I ask her to wait for me outside. Her only response is a stiff nod. I wonder why she's so tense this morning. Maybe it has something to do with the lack of a car in the parking lot. I notice she's wearing athletic clothing so did she… walk over here? Difficult to believe when she is such a staunch hater of anything remotely considered exercise.

I have a few words with Vinnie before nodding to Lula and Connie and meeting Steph outside. She's leaning against the wall and her posture hasn't changed. She still looks tense and angry. I sweep her into the alley or what I've come to think of as our spot. I nestle my thigh between her warm legs and my hands skim her ribcage. I suck in a breath when I realize she's wearing her holster. I don't know why, but knowing she's wearing a gun makes her more attractive to me. She confirms it. Hmm…so interesting. I pull her closer and my mouth closes over hers. My tongue mingles with her, and I can't get enough of her taste. She's my addiction. When we pull apart my breathing is slightly heavier and she looks dazed. I invite her to do the distraction tonight. She even lets out a laugh. I decide not to question it. I wrap one of her loose curls around my finger. She throws me off a bit by asking about Jeanne Ellen. Maybe she did see us last night? I still think it's too crazy to believe. I would have seen her if she'd seen or tailed me. I see a mix of emotions in her eyes, and I swear she's disappointed. I just don't know what she's disappointed with.

"Careful Babe," I say looking into her eyes, "I won't be able to stay away if Morelli's gone too long." I don't know where that came from…well, I do but I didn't mean to say it out loud. I see confusion and sadness in her eyes, and I wonder what she's thinking. I know she always thinks I can read her mind but usually she just wears her emotions on her face. This time while I see her emotions I have no idea what they mean or what she's thinking.

"Careful Ranger," Stephanie replies coolly, "If Joe's gone long enough, I might find someone who does mind poaching." My eyes widen and my heart clenches at the thought. I never even considered her finding someone else; I've only been worried about Morelli. I never thought about her ditching the both of us and finding someone new entirely.

She pushes away from me and says she has stuff to do. I offer her a ride, but she declines. So she did walk here. Something has definitely gotten into her. She's acting so different than normal, and I'm curious to know why. She pauses for a moment probably to see if I will leave first. There's no way in hell I'm leaving before she does. She pushes her shoulders back so she's standing taller and starts off. She's _running_. I shake my head slightly in disbelief. What has gotten into my Babe?


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: As promised, the second chapter this week! :) Thanks for all the support for getting my dream job! I'll keep you updated with how it goes, my second phone interview is in an hour. Thanks for all of the reviews and encouragement for this story! Please let me know what you think of this chapter!

* * *

Goodbye by Paul McDonald & Nikki Reed

" _Your hair, your lips, the things I'm gonna miss…_

 _There was good times, but mostly bad times…_

 _And I tried to give you every bit of my  
Heart, but we tore each other apart  
You wanted time, it's better now we say goodbye"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 4: Proud of You, Babe  
**

Steph's POV

After waking up from my nap, I rinse off and get ready while pushing the nightmare out of my mind. I don't really know what to expect for tonight's distraction, but I'm sure it will be like all of the others. I take my time in the bathroom. I shave my legs and underarms. After getting out and drying off, I blow dry my hair. I put in some leave in frizz-be-gone conditioner beforehand so when it dries it will be manageable. I use my curling wand and make nice curls. I prep my skin with some rosewater spray and hydrating lotion before applying my makeup. I go for brown shades that will make my blue eyes pop. I go light on the inner corner and add some shimmer with the dark brown at the outer corner of my eyes. While it looks great, it's not over the top and definitely something a working professional could get away with. I add black eyeliner with a small wing and then finish with my trusty mascara. I'm lucky I got blessed with naturally beautiful lashes that become overly thick and long with a few swipes of mascara.

Once my hair and makeup are finished, I head to my bedroom to find a suitable outfit. I decide on a black pencil skirt with a slit going up the left leg and a flowy but form-fitting button up white shirt. I leave a few more buttons unbuttoned than would be work appropriate. I'm putting on earrings when I hear my front door open.

"I'm back here Ranger," I call as I head to the closet to grab a pair of bright red FMPs. Hmm, not exactly office-friendly but definitely for a night out. A smile graces my lips as I think about these shoes. I love them even if I barely ever get to wear them. I feel the tingle on my neck as I secure the shoes. I stand and hear an exhale of breath. I turn to see Ranger standing in the doorway. He's wearing his usual swat black attire but it's the way he's looking at me that makes me gulp. His eyes are focused on me and are glittering black. His breathing is shallow and he looks like a predator about to catch some prey. I feel my nipples harden as I study him, and he studies me. God, what a traitor my body is. I can tell he notices because his eyes trace down.

"So…uh…" I try and break this tension, but my brain seems to be on short circuit. In two strides he's right in front of me. His arm goes around my waist and he pulls me tight against him. I can't stop the whimper that comes out of my mouth from the contact. He tilts his head and slants his mouth over mine. I can't even try to stop him…if I wanted to. Our tongues meet in a frenzied dance, and he pulls me even tighter. His hand skims my waist and cups my breast, his thumb flicking over my hardened nipple. I moan into his mouth as he deepens the kiss.

Just as I start to realize what a bad idea this is he pushes me away. I see his chest moving fast so I know he's just as affected by this as I am. I put a hand over my still tingling lips as I try and make my breathing normal again. Oh God, why does he do this to me? Doesn't he know he could shatter me into a million little pieces with just a word?

"Ready for the wire?" Ranger asks completely ignoring what just happened. I nod mutely. I guess I don't have anything to say to him. Why does he keep doing this to me? My heart hurts. He pulls out a wire from his pocket and undoes another button on my blouse. My skin is humming as he hovers over my breast and a zing of heat rushes through me when he places the wire. I realize I'm holding my breath as he places it. His hand lingers on my skin before he pulls back and redoes the button.

"All done." All I can do is nod. I hate how much control he has over me. I grab a black clutch and stick some pepper spray along with my keys and wallet inside. I turn out the lights and exit before Ranger, so he gets the idea without me having to say a word. Once he's outside I lock up before we head down. Surprisingly, he goes straight for the elevator. We get in and neither of us speaks. The electricity is humming through the air, and I feel like I could cut the tension between us with a knife. If I hadn't decided before, I definitely need to avoid him in the future. I don't think my senses or my body can handle him in such close proximity. The elevator opens, and I try not to rush out too quickly. I'm almost to the lobby doors when he grabs my hand. He pulls me so I face him. I look up at his face. Usually so void of emotions, I can see the confusion on his.

"Babe?" he questions probing my face for some indication of what I'm feeling. I look into his soft brown eyes, and I can see flecks of gold. He looks so genuine, so concerned for me, that I almost forget about his meetings with Jeanne.

"We're going to be late." I drop my eyes from his, and he slowly releases my hand. We head out, and I sigh as I realize he brought the 911 Turbo. He opens the door for me, and I slide in. I can't help but moan at the buttery seats. Ranger shoots me a look as he starts the car. I squirm as the vibration travels upward. It has been several months since I've been with a man and with Bvlgari in my nose and the linger of his kiss on my lips- I'm on the verge of combustion. I close my eyes and try to take deep breaths. I stop breathing when I feel his hand on my leg and his fingers are making their way up the slit in my skirt. I open my eyes and meet his. I can see his pupils dilated and his nostrils flaring.

"Babe," he utters in a low, rough voice, "Are you and the Cop done for good?" He strokes my inner thigh after he finishes asking. The heat is pooling low in my belly, and I'm aching for his touch. I nod. He starts to move forward, but I grab his hand. I feel my eyes fill with tears. I can't just be his plaything.

"Ranger," I choke out his name as I try not to sob, "Stop, please." I'm afraid to meet his gaze. I feel the tears pricking my eyes. I've never really told him no before. He moves his hand, and it's on my jaw. He tilts my face up to meet his. His eyes are soft and his face open for me to read. He's confused and looks upset. A tear rolls out of my left eye without my permission. He wipes the tear away with his thumb and presses a soft kiss on my nose. His phone chirps and the moment passes quickly. He flips it open.

"Report." "Be there in 15." He closes the phone and I'm reminded of his lack of phone manners. He starts driving, and I check my face in the mirror. Since I wasn't crying my eyes out everything still looks okay. We make it to the bar in no time.

"Binky and Manny are behind the bar," he tells me, "Lester is in there somewhere."

Binky, Manny, and Lester are all RangeMan employees. I think there is a secret rule where all RangeMan have to be uncharacteristically muscled and good looking. They're all hot and ex-military of some sort. Ranger gets his nickname from his time in the Army Rangers. I've worked with a lot of the guys at one point or another when I've been strapped for cash. Ranger always seems to know and offers me a temporary position at RangeMan. None of them know this, but I secretly call the guys at RangeMan the Merry Men like in Robin Hood. They all follow Ranger and work to take down evil. I'm not sure how they would take to the nickname considering the real Merry Men wore tights. I never accepted a full-time position at RangeMan because that would require me to spend time in the gym daily, shoot my gun regularly, and eat barks and twigs. The part-time gig is good enough with me, but now that I'm trying to be better and get another job, I kinda regret never taking him up on it before.

Ranger hands me the file, and I study it. The man doesn't look threatening, and he's not half bad to look at. Should be an easy lure.

"Stay safe Babe," he says quietly as I open the door. I nod before putting on my game face and walking to the front of the bar. The bar is not well known to me, but it doesn't seem like an upstanding establishment. Men are smoking around the entrance, and I already get some catcalls. I sashay my hips, ignoring the men, and walk straight into the bar.

It's dim inside and a buzz of conversation is in the background. I notice a lot of people turn to look as I enter. Well, I seem to be one of three women in this place. Jeez. I scan the place looking for Gregory Armentrout. I see him at the end of the bar. He's surrounded by some other shadier looking guys. Just great. I head over to that side of the bar and sit a few stools away from him. I recognize Manny behind the bar. I pout out my lip and sigh.

"What'll it be miss?" Manny questions with a small smirk. I see the mischief in his hazel eyes. Manny is pretty tall, and also Latino. I'm not quite sure which country his family is from. He's got short dark brown, almost black, hair. He's attractive like all RangeMen are.

"Martini straight up," I reply knowing he'll just give me water. He nods and does his thing before setting it in front of me. I look down the side and see Gregory eyeing me. I send him a coy smile and turn back to Manny.

"I just dumped my boyfriend," I say loud enough so Gregory can hear. "I'm awfully lonely." I see Manny try not to laugh.

"Well sweet cheeks, I don't think a pretty face like yours will be lonely for long," he replies giving me a wink. I give him a half-hearted smile. A throat clears, and I look over to Gregory who is now standing beside me.

"I couldn't help overhearing. Is this seat taken?" he asks gesturing towards the empty seat on my left. I give him a smile and bat my lashes.

"It is now," I reply coyly and he responds with a grin. His green eyes look me up and down, and I suppress a shudder. While he's moderately attractive something is off about him. He traces his finger down my shoulder and arm.

"Name's Greg and what should I call you…" he asks, his eyes drawn to the meager cleavage my wonder bra helped bring to attention. I smile.

"Call me Roxy," I say, "Do you come here often?" He takes a seat and motions for Manny to get him another drink.

"Mmm Roxy, yes I do come here quite often. What brings you here? I haven't seen you before," he responds his hand finding the slit in my skirt. His hand caresses my thigh, and I feel bile rising in my throat. I tamp down my uneasy feelings.

"Just got off work and had nothing else to do since I broke up with my boyfriend," I admit making my voice sound sad. His fingers inch higher, and I fake a giggle. I put my hand over his.

"Greg, my my," I purr looking up at him from beneath my lashes, "Maybe we should get out of here?" I stroke his fingers with mine. I can see the bulge in his pants grow and his pupils dilate. I see him swallow hard before he stands abruptly. He pulls out some cash and lays it on the bar before grabbing my hand and pulling me to the door. Before we exit, he pushes me into the small alcove that has a rack for jackets. His hands are roving all over, and he's shoved his tongue down my throat. Oh god, why. I feel so dirty. I fake some moans and touch the hardening member through his pants.

"Come on," I whisper as I continue touching him, "Let's go somewhere more private." I push him away and smile at him. He's breathing raggedly. I walk out the door in front of him. He better follow me or I'm not going to be happy. I know he's behind me when he smacks my ass. I hold in my emotions, and before I know it the guys have him cuffed. I turn around with a fake look of surprise on my face.

"Greg, what's going on?" I question in a meek, frightened voice. I see Ram and Lester have got him by the arms with his hands cuffed behind his back.

"Don't worry about it Roxy," he says confidently, "I'll see ya when I'm out."

Ha, in his dreams. I give a nod and they take him away to the SUV. They load him up and the car squeals away. I turn, looking for Ranger. He'd usually be here to give me a hug by now. He knows how I usually feel after these distractions. Don't get me wrong, I love getting to put the bad guy away but when they touch me like that…ugh. I shudder at the memory. I walk towards the parking lot and find him by the 911. He's not alone. I feel my heart beat speed up as I see him and Jeanne Ellen standing next to the car. His back is to me. It looks like they're having a quiet, serious conversation. I try sucking in some air. It feels like I've been sucker punched in the gut. Jeanne Ellen Burrows is another bounty hunter in the area. She's like the female equivalent to Ranger. She wears black a lot and has a killer body. I've interacted with her a few times, and she was always classified as a Grade A bitch in my book. Maybe she's different with Ranger. Considering the disaster I am, it's no surprise Ranger would be into her. It was one thing to tail him and see them alone, but for him to flaunt her in front of me so openly? I turn around abruptly to go back towards the bar. I need to get out of here.

Thankfully, I run straight into Manny who is coming out of the bar. He sees me and looks confused. Instead of saying anything he just wraps me in a hug. I try to stop the tears from coming. I feel the hot tears come down my cheeks and soak through his black shirt. I think it's a mixture of the adrenaline from the distraction and hurt from seeing Ranger with someone who isn't me.

"Come on Wifey," he utters soothingly while rubbing my back, "I'll take you home." He's jokingly called me Wifey ever since I pretended to be his wife just so I could check on him when he was in the hospital. I nod mutely. I don't want to talk about my little breakdown. I'm not sure if he thinks it's from the stress of the distraction or if he knows I saw Ranger. He leads me to his car and opens the door for me. I see Binky is already in the front seat. Neither of them questions me as we take off into the night. It's so odd. Usually, Ranger is the one who takes me home after a distraction. He'd wrap me in his arms, press a kiss to my forehead and tell me 'Proud of you, Babe.' Instead, he's too busy with his equal in bounty hunting and looks. I feel another piece of my heart shatter and break off. I need to get a grip.

The car is silent the whole way back to my apartment. Binky waits in the car as Manny walks me up. He does a sweep of the apartment and makes me stand outside while he does.

"Okay wifey," he says with a small smile, "All clear." He gives me a hug and presses a kiss on my forehead.

"I'm here for you if you ever want to talk." I nod and more tears come from my eyes knowing I have people who do support me for me.

"Thanks, Manny. I think I'll be okay," I respond looking up at him. He nods and walks out. I walk inside and lock the doors. I sigh and close my eyes as I lean against the door for a moment. I walk to the kitchen, tap Rex's glass to say goodnight and then I turn the lights off. I enter my bedroom and shrug out of my clothes. I feel emotionally drained. I guess it will take a while to heal after the disappointment of he who must not be named. I pull on a t-shirt, carefully avoiding the worn folded RangeMan shirt at the top of the drawer. I pad to the bathroom, scrub my face and brush my teeth. I look at my reflection in the mirror. I eye myself. I decide I'll be okay and that I'll get through this. I give myself an encouraging thumbs-up and wink before shutting the light off. I'm disappointed, but I have no real reason to be. It's not like he promised me anything at all. I slide into my cool sheets and push him from my mind as I think about my new plan. Exercise, use my gun, kick butt and find a new job. I can do it.

I jolt to awareness without jerking up in bed. The tingling at the back of my neck is intense. I slowly sit up, and I see the silhouette of Ranger in the chair next to the window. I don't think I will ever understand why he likes to sit there. I sigh and flick on the bedside lamp. I'm not really up for one of his little late night visits. My stomach rolls uneasily when I think about his late night visits with Jeanne.

"Babe." His hands are steepled together under his chin, and he seems very tired. Two can play the one-word game.

"Ranger." I swear he is the most frustrating man in the world. Why am I in love with him? Of all people. He assesses me. I'm sure I look a little scary with my bed hair.

"You did a good job tonight. Proud of you," he tells me and it only reminds me of how he was too busy to tell me that earlier. I don't respond to his statement.

"You and Morelli mended things."

He states it rather than asks it as a question. My mouth gapes open unintentionally. Why is he bringing this up now? I narrow my eyes at him.

"Why would you say that?" His lips press into a thin line.

"Lula and Connie." I was surprised at his honesty. I was surprised he cared especially considering the company he's been keeping lately.

"Yes, Joe was here earlier, but whether we mended our relationship or not isn't really your business. Honestly, I'm surprised you care considering I haven't seen much of you in six months," I reply with a little huff, "and you asked me earlier in the car or did you forget?"

The old Stephanie getting some words in edgewise. I can't help that I'm still hurt by what I saw yesterday and earlier tonight. I see a flash of annoyance on his face before all emotion disappears.

"Babe, I…I…nevermind."

He drops his head in his hands. I wonder what he was about to say, but I'm sure he wouldn't tell me even if I asked. I'm tired of this game. I'm tired of only seeing slivers of the man behind the mask. I guess my decision is for the best in every way, even if I've never felt for anyone else what I feel for Ranger. He remains silent and looks up, staring at me intently. I feel my heart breaking a little more.

"So," I question, "is that all you came here for?" I'm tired of him waltzing into my life and only giving me a small part of himself. I know he's helped me more than I could ever repay, and he says no cost, but I feel it in my heart every time he pulls away.

"I'm leaving for a couple months," he responds, "Not sure when I'll be back. Call Tank if you need anything. I just came to say goodbye." All at once relief and fear flood through my system. Relief that my decision will be made easier by Ranger's absence and fear that he could get seriously hurt and not return. I decide to give in to the emotion just for a moment. It may be the last time I ever see him. I pray it's not, and I haven't been a good Catholic for a few years. I hope God will still listen. I stand and bend down to wrap him in a hug. I rest my head on his shoulder. I feel his strength flowing through me. If only I could have all of him and not just small pieces. I hold back the tears that want to rush in.

"Stay safe Batman, don't get shot," I whisper knowing I wouldn't survive a world in which Ranger doesn't exist. I could survive knowing I could never have him as long as I knew he was alive, but if he was dead—I can't think of it. I feel his small smile.

"Don't go crazy, Babe." I stand back and he rises. He tilts his head and looks down at me. I'm mesmerized by his eyes, usually controlled and unemotional. He's been more open with me in regards to his emotions lately. He tilts his head down, and he claims the kiss. I sigh and melt into his arms. I memorize his smell, the feel of his lips on mine and the look in his eyes. I don't want to forget. I want to keep this image of Ranger to remember. I don't want to remember his harsh words and his qualifiers. Suddenly, the memory of Jeanne's blonde hair floods my mind and the moment is ruined. I pull away, turning my back to Ranger. He wraps his arms around me and nuzzles my neck. He makes this so hard. I pull away again. Why do all the men in my life have another woman?

"Babe," he says in a strained voice, and he sounds…pained, upset. I turn and see the confusion and worry in his eyes. I refuse to tell him more than what he asks. I deserve more.

"Stay safe Ranger." My tone leaves no room for anything else to be said. I walk Ranger out. He turns, much like Joe, only I long for more with Ranger and I can't have it.

"I'll call when I get back." I do a short head bob. I close the door and re-lock it. I thunk my forehead against the door and tears stream silently down my face. Why does life have to be so complicated?


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: So, I didn't get the job I was hoping for, but after some weird comments by the guy who interviewed me, I think it's for the best. I'll be starting my new job August 20th though, and I'm extremely excited. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! Please let me know what you think about this chapter! Also I always appreciate any suggestions / ideas of what you think will happen. Enjoy!

* * *

Change is Hard by She & Him

" _I was never no, I was never no  
I was never enough  
But I can try, I can try  
To toughen up  
I listened  
When they told me  
If he burns you  
Let him go  
Change is hard  
I should know"  
_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 5: Fresh Start**

Steph's POV

The next day I wake surprisingly early. I stretch as I lay in bed looking at the alarm clock. It's eight am, and I woke up on my own. What is this madness? Instead of turning over and going back to sleep, I get out of bed and put on some athletic clothing. I can't believe that I, Stephanie Michelle Plum, am deciding to go on a run at 8 in the morning. I shake my head in disbelief. I put on running shoes and pull my hair back into a ponytail. I head to the kitchen and put on my gun. I need to get used to wearing it all the time plus who knows who I might run into? I tap on Rex's glass and drop in a few grapes. I smile and quickly eat an apple so I will have some energy.

I head out the door, take the stairs down and walk out into the fresh spring air. I slide on my sunglasses and start out on a jog. I decide I might as well stop in at the Bond's office. I'll get it out of the way and the girls won't worry. My body feels sore from the day before, but I am able to jog farther without getting as out of breath. Once the office is in view, I slow to a walk. The bell tinkles when I open the door and walk in. Connie looks up in surprise.

"Morning Steph," she greets with a smile, "You're here awfully early." I nod as I take a seat on the couch.

"Woke up and figured I'd stop by. I'm planning to spend most of the day working on the Bianchi case," I inform her as I relax on the couch. I may not want to get up after this.

"Sorry, I have no new information on him, but I'll keep an ear to the ground," she says before taking a sip of coffee. "You should be careful on this one. It worries me." I nod and think about it. The Bianchi file Connie handed me is dangerous and something hinky is definitely going on. I don't want Lula getting involved with this because then someone will definitely get hurt. Lula is the file clerk here and my sometimes partner, but her version of bounty hunting usually ends up with a gun going off or her leaving me stranded somewhere. I love Lula, but she's not the best partner. I'm glad she didn't hear us discussing it yesterday.

"Don't mention anything to Lula about it," I say as I continue thinking about the file. Connie nods emphatically.

"Honestly, I wish RangeMan would take it because neither of you should have to deal with it," she replies sounding worried.

"Alright Connie. I better get going. I think I'll go visit my parents and see if Grandma has any information," I say with a sigh as I stand up from the couch. I groan and stretch before walking out the door. It's a little warmer as I exit the Bonds Office but not unbearable. I manage to jog all the way back to the apartment. I debate for a few seconds: elevator or stairs. Old Stephanie wouldn't have hesitated, but new Stephanie falters a second before heading up the stairs. I unlock the door, head inside, and greet Rex.

I open up the file on Ian Bianchi. I study his picture. Something about him is off. My Spidey-sense is tingling again as I read more about him. His family migrated here from Sicily two generations ago. I've heard the name around and know that they are one of the families involved in 'Family' stuff. I skim through the file. His mother died four years ago. My spidey-sense clangs more at that. Hmm. I make a note to look more into her death seeing that the file doesn't contain the cause. I continue reading and see his grandfather is the head of the family. Looks like Ian is not all the way at the top. Connie said they're in the drug scene, not guns, but are having trouble with the Ramos'. I make another note about checking into why they are having trouble with the Ramos family. I smile as I remember Alexander Ramos. I drove him around to get cigarettes. He was funny and kind to me. I giggle as I remember his proposal of marriage. I could probably ask him about Bianchi. I definitely need to do some digging on this case.

After showering, getting dressed, and putting on a face full of makeup, complete with a few swipes of mascara, I head out. I'm feeling confident after my new resolve. I even put on my gun again underneath my clothes. I drop a hamster nugget in for Rex before locking up and heading out. I get to my car downstairs, and I sigh when my door doesn't open. I try pulling it a couple times while the key is still in. No luck and the alarm goes off. Gee, just what I need. I decide to try the passenger side door. Thankfully it opens. The alarm is still blaring, and I'm starting to get a headache. I also notice a few other residents in the parking lot have stopped to stare. Just great. I'm sure my mother will hear about this somehow. I slide ungracefully over the console. At least I didn't have to crawl through a window. I put the key in the ignition and pray the alarm will stop. The alarm goes off twice more before going silent. I sigh and rest my head on the wheel.

I get to my parent's two-story duplex in twenty minutes. Not too shabby a time considering the traffic. I park in front of the house and Grandma Mazur and my mother appear. I swear they have some sort of daughter radar. The house is the same one I grew up in. It's painted a dark brown and the house connected is a dark green. I shut off my engine and try to open the door. I'm annoyed when the door still doesn't open. Out of frustration, I hold onto the handle latch and kick the door with both feet. The car rattles and the latch pops off in my hand.

"Just great!" I yell, frustrated. I see my mother and grandmother looking over here curiously. I toss the latch in the cup holder. I heave a sigh and cross over the console to exit out of the passenger side door. Once I'm out I make my way up to the porch. My mother's lips are pursed, and it looks like Grandma is trying not to laugh.

"Stephanie, what in the world is going on with your car? Can't you afford to get a decent one?" Mom asks skeptically, "Myra Walkowski's daughter doesn't have any car problems, and she works at the personal products plant. Such a nice, normal job."

I sigh heavily. Visiting my family is always this fun. My mom constantly compares me to everyone else, and I never meet her expectations. I'm a constant disappointment. My mother is Burg through and through. Chambersburg aka the Burg is a small niche, made up of mostly Italians, in Trenton where everybody knows everybody. No one can sneeze without the whole neighborhood knowing. My mother believes that the role of a woman is to get married, pop out 2.5 babies and have a house with a white picket fence. I have met none of those expectations except when I had my 5-minute marriage with The Dick. My sister did manage to make my mother semi-happy, but she came home after finding out her husband ran away with the 18-year-old babysitter. She brought along her two daughters and since then she's met a Pillsbury Doughboy look-a-like, ambulance chasing lawyer named Albert Kloughn. Now she has three kids, and they could barely afford her older two. I had to trick them into getting married. At least that's not the life I live. I love my nieces, I do, but I'm not sure I'm cut out to have kids of my own.

"I think it's kind of cool. You should just roll your window down and slide in and out of it!" Grandma suggests, "That'd be a real pip! You'd be like the Dukes of Hazzard only in an ugly car!"

Grandma Mazur is a spunky old lady who came to live with my parents after my Grandpa went to the big pork roast in the sky. Ever since then she's given my mother hell. The years have not been kind to her. She has more skin than her body knows what to do with. It pools in odd places on her bones, but that doesn't stop her. She used to be a looker back in the day as she likes to remind everyone. She wears clothing not "appropriate" for her age, sometimes carries a gun and likes to talk about men's "packages." She's also been one of my biggest supporters throughout the years. Today she's wearing a bright teal tracksuit and, as she turns, I see rhinestones glittering on the back and across her butt.

"I don't know what's wrong with it, but I go through cars so fast, is there really a point in getting a nice one?" I reply tiredly, "And if I leave the window down then anybody could get in and steal it."

"I guess you gotta point," Grandma says, her forehead scrunched up as she thinks about it, "But you really think someone would steal _that_?" She has a point, but better not tempt fate. My car karma is already in the crapper.

"Let's go inside. I just finished a coffee cake. Have you had breakfast yet?" my mother asks, avoiding any more car talk. My mother is always the doting, perfect hostess.

"No I haven't, coffee cake sounds wonderful Mom. And Grandma, I was wondering if you knew some people," I say as we head inside. In our family, we aren't much for physical affection and instead, we show our love through food. I know Mom offering the coffee cake was her way of saying she loves me, even if she doesn't approve of my lifestyle.

"Your father took the cab and went to the lodge, but I'm sure he would have wanted to see you," my mother says as she walks into the kitchen. My dad is a pretty quiet guy, but he's always been there for me.

"Am I going to get to help catch one of them bad guys you always go after? I just got a new gun! I named her Bessie," Grandma says excitedly, moving her dentures around with her tongue. I see my mother sigh and do the sign of the cross.

"No, nothing like that. I just need some information. And there will be no need for guns!"

"Well darn Stephanie, you don't know how to have any fun!" Grandma Mazur says, taking a seat at the table. She's one to talk, _especially_ about guns. Sheesh. When I first started bounty hunting she found the gun I had in my purse and shot the turkey we were planning to eat for dinner. My mother was horrified.

I fix myself a cup of coffee as my mom cuts the cake. Once I doctor it the way I like, I sit down across from Grandma.

"So do you have any dirt on the Bianchi's?" I question taking a huge forkful of the coffee cake. I swear my mother knows the way to my heart. Her eyes go wide, and she moves her dentures around in her mouth.

"Oh boy, those Bianchi men!" she says with a smirk as she waves her hand to cool off as though she suddenly had a hot flash. I furrow my brow and look at her questioningly.

"What do you mean?" I ask, wondering if I was going to hear a sordid tale of my Grandmother and one of her many "packages".

"Nicolas, the head of the family, I met him at bingo once. We went out a couple of times, and he was a real looker. Smooth talker too. I broke it off with him after sweet Sarah went missing," she says sipping her coffee. I finish chewing the coffee cake before responding.

"Sarah as in Sarah Shupp? The one Ian Bianchi was dating?" I question as I try to figure this mystery out.

"The very one. My friend Annie is her grandmother, and she swears that Bianchi boy did something to her baby granddaughter! She told me she would never speak to me again if I kept seeing that man," she explains sadly, "Annie's one of my oldest gals, and I'd never do anything to hurt her."

"That was probably a good idea. I'm actually looking for Ian Bianchi now. He's FTA," I explain before taking another drink of coffee. Hmmm…I suddenly had an idea about getting her back into the dating pool. Specifically seeing if Nicolas had the whole scoop on what went down. I saw my mom eyeing me from across the room. I had a feeling she knew what I was thinking. I'd only use Grandma as a last resort.

"Well baby granddaughter, I'm sure Annie wouldn't mind if she knew I was helping catch the sumn'bitch who disappeared her precious Sarah," Grandma says thoughtfully as she slides her dentures around in her mouth some more. Oh no. I didn't want her to do it now.

"Mother!" my mom says shrilly, "You should not be going out with someone so.. so.. so dangerous!" Grandma cackles.

"Oh Helen, put a cork in it. I've lived a long life, and now I want some adventure," she responds gleefully. Well, I guess Grandma's on board. I sigh.

"Only if you really want Grandma, but try and be very careful," I say. She nods emphatically.

"I'll call him up and see if he'd like to go to the funeral home tonight," she says already in planning mode. I know my mom is not going to be happy with me about this. It's not like I asked Grandma or anything, she offered. I finish up my coffee and cake. My mother tries to convince me to invite Joseph for dinner the next evening. I carefully avoid that topic.

Armed with some new information, I decide I might as well head out and check out Ian's apartment. Not that I think he'd be there, but it's a good place as any to start. It's also the only address listed in his file. I might even find some information that could help me track him down. I'm surprised he doesn't live with the family, but I can't blame him. I find his apartment complex fairly easily. While the Ramos' live closer to the beach, the Bianchi's are on the complete opposite side. Ian doesn't live on the compound, but his apartment is nearby. I'm sure if I check I'd find that the complex belongs to their family entirely. The neighborhood is quiet. I'm sure nothing happens around here without the family knowing. I probably stick out like a sore thumb. I park a couple blocks down from the apartment, just to be safe. I only see one other car on the street. A dark blue nondescript sedan with no plates. The sedan's windows are tinted so I can't tell if anyone is in the car. Interesting. I try my mangled handle, but I have no luck. Gah, just when I do not want to attract attention. I try kicking it open again, but still nothing. I get myself over the console, right myself, and open the passenger door. I'm trying to be inconspicuous. I lock up the car and make sure my gun is fully loaded. I don't want to take any chances with this guy. He already beat a DEA agent half to death and most likely killed his girlfriend. I decide to go around back. I don't want anyone to see me.

The townhouse is a cream color with blue shutters. The back has a white fence boxing in the tiny yard. I walk quickly and open the gate. I notice no other people around. Hopefully, no one is peeking out their windows to see me breaking and entering. Not that I would be breaking. I'll use the nifty tool Lester taught me a couple of months ago. I now know how to pick a lock. Go me! The door opens quietly and I enter. It's cool and silent: a good sign. I shut the door carefully and enter slowly. It's clean which surprises me considering it's supposedly a bachelor pad. It seems too clean, and I feel like this isn't really where he's been staying. It has two bedrooms and one is being used as an office space. The bed is rumpled so maybe he has been here, but it's not where he spends most of his time. I check out the office and see no computer. He does have a calendar on it, and I take pictures with my phone.

Interesting…he only has one thing in the calendar and it says "Juliet." I don't know any of his acquaintances that go by that name. That's the only solid thing I found in the house. I head back out. I close the door behind me and don't lock it.

I turn around only to jump back frightened. Standing in front of me is a tall man with dark brown hair, piercing blue eyes and an inquisitive look on his face. He's dressed in a black suit with a white shirt and a thin dark blue paisley tie. I'd be worried he's Ian, but this man doesn't look like the picture. He clears his throat during my body scan of him. He's clearly wearing a gun underneath the suit. Oh shit. Maybe he's part of the Bianchi family and was watching the place. Oh god. I hope he isn't here to kill me.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews. I haven't had my computer for a few days, so I'll try and respond soon. Here is the next installment, sorry it's shorter, but I've been cutting the chapters where it feels right, not based on any word count. Let me know what you think! Enjoy! :)

* * *

Tornado by Lea Michele

" _Bring it on, bring it on  
I'm ready  
Fear can steal my every tear  
Keep them as a souvenir  
Bring it on, bring it on  
I'm ready"_

Defining Moments  


 **Chapter 6: Busted**

Steph's POV

"Stephanie Plum?" he asks in a tone that leaves no doubt that he knows exactly who I am.

I shift uneasily on my feet and move my pocketbook to the other arm. Usually, people coming to kill me don't say my name in a question. Usually, they go for surprise attacks. He would have tried something by now.

"And you are?" I question having a feeling that he's not here to kill me. He seems too…professional. This may explain the dark blue sedan outside. Shit Stephanie! Be more aware of your fucking surroundings. I did see it, but the tinted windows didn't allow me to see _inside_ the vehicle. The man puts his hand in the inside of his suit pocket and produces a black booklet. He flips it open and reveals a badge. Shit, I'm not sure if this is better or worse than I expected.

"My name is Special Agent Quinn Rivers," he replies easily, "I think you should come with me so we can talk." I gulp.

"Am I in trouble? Do I need a lawyer?" I question crossing my arms and jutting out my jaw defiantly. A smirk settles on his face.

"Considering you just did some breaking and entering…" he drawls tailing off and leaving the rest to my imagination.

"I did not!" I exclaim indignantly even though that's exactly what I did.

"Ian happens to be a friend and the door was unlocked!" The lie comes easily to me, but I'm not sure this Quinn guy will believe me. He quirks an eyebrow, unamused.

"Right, okay. I can just call Ian for you," he suggests making a move towards his phone. I debate briefly. I really don't think this Fed would call the guy he's investigating, but if he does what's the worst that could happen? Ian gets mad and comes for me? Perfect, then I could get him in easier. He holds the phone out and makes eye contact with me. I nod my head.

"Go ahead." He narrows his eyes at me. His eyes are a beautiful sky blue that offset his tan nicely. My eyes scan his body again. He's also in shape and not bad to look at. His suit fits his frame quite nicely. I'm not used to seeing men so dressed up. I shake my head. It has been a while since I've had sex, but I don't really need another man complication in my life. I also don't really do casual sex and, at this point, that's all it would be.

He sighs and closes the phone. "Just please come with me and we can discuss this in a more private area." I study him intently. He must not really want to arrest me, but then why would he know my name and where I would be? He has some questions to answer, that's for sure.

"Okay, lead the way." I follow him back to his sedan and he opens the passenger side door for me.

XXXX

I have my hands underneath my chin and my gaze set on the man sitting across from me. His face is blank as he studies me the same. His hair is a silky brown that is neither long nor short, his skin is a golden tan shade that means he's either Italian or just tans nicely, and his eyes are the color of the sky. His lashes seem fake as they are thick and long while curling up beautifully. I'm sure many women envy those. Neither of us speak as we continue our silent stare off.

"So what can I get ya today?" an older woman in a red and white checkered waitress outfit asks holding a notepad and pen in her hand. This startles us out of our little staring match. I look up and smile at the woman whose name-tag reads 'Cheryl.' I then glance back down at the menu.

"I'll take the bacon cheeseburger cooked medium well with a side of fries and a coke please," I respond before handing her my menu. She nods her head. I also saw a piece of Coconut Cake in the display case that would be tasty for dessert. I look back over at Special Agent Quinn and wonder just why he wants to talk to me. He's still studying me, and I can feel him being slightly surprised at my meal choice. If he thought I was a salad kinda girl, he was way off.

"I'll have the Caesar Salad and the Cuban sandwich with water to drink," he replies before also handing his menu to her. Hmm...not exactly rabbit food, but still kinda healthy. He's no RangeMan, but I guess the government doesn't have the same strict food regulations.

"Alrighty, I'll go put this in and bring out your drinks." She walks away and we both turn our heads back to the other. I look at him in a silent challenge to go ahead and say what he wants to say. He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair.

"Look Ms. Plum th-," he starts before I put a hand up to cut him off. I absolutely detest being called Ms. Plum in any capacity. It just makes me feel _too_ old. I'm in denial about getting older-so sue me, who isn't?

"Stephanie or Steph please," I reply before motioning for him to continue. He nods which makes his shiny brown hair sway with the movement of his head. He seems encouraged by me letting him call me by my first name.

"Stephanie, the reason I want to talk to you is that, well frankly, the Bureau has been eyeing you." My eyes widen in shock. The FBI has been keeping an eye on me? What have I done now? I don't think I've broken laws that warrant the attention of the friggin' FBI. I can already hear my mother's voice saying 'why me?'

"Wh-wha what do you mean 'eyeing me'?" I question still reeling at what he might be saying. I know one thing. Having the FBI watching you is never good. God, maybe this has something to do with the whole Scrogg incident or hell Stiva's funeral home. Okay, so there's a whole host of possible reasons they could be eyeing me. I just always thought it was the Trenton PD's jurisdiction.

"We've noticed your work. It's been exceptional really and looks like you could be a real asset to the team if you were trained more and actually used your gun," he replies seriously. I try to see if he's joking. I narrow my eyes.

"Okay ' _Special Agent Quinn,_ '" I say in my most sarcastic voice with air quotes around Special Agent, "Who at the station put you up to this? I really don't think it's funny." It has to be one of the guys, maybe Carl or Big Dog. They're always making bets on me anyways. I could see them putting someone up to this joke. They probably think this is _sooo_ funny.

Instead of admitting to the joke, his eyes soften and he reaches out to grab my hand.

"I'm serious. This Bianchi case is big, bigger than you think. My superiors told me to come talk to you and see if you'd agree to sign on. We knew you'd be the one handling the FTA file and it gave me the perfect excuse to recruit you. You're a special case, and we've already done a full background check on you plus you've been given stellar recommendations," he says quietly while looking straight in my eyes. My mouth opens slightly. He doesn't appear to be joking in the slightest. After all this time, the Cops making bets on me, Joe berating me, and my mother basically telling me I'm a failure and now the FBI wants me? Stellar recommendations, huh? Now, who would recommend me?

"Recommendations?" I ask skeptically. I know there's no way in hell Joe would recommend me when he'd rather I quit and become a housewife. Maybe someone else at the station? It's hard to believe when they all seem to think I'm a joke. Ranger comes to mind, but I don't see why he'd recommend me either.

"I'm sorry. I'm not allowed to tell you my sources," he responds just as Cheryl returns with our drinks. I narrow my eyes at him.

"So, what's the catch?" I ask after slurping on some of the Coke. He looks serious and his eyes turn a darker shade of blue before he responds.

"First, you would have to come to the Newark field office to be properly trained and tested. Second, you would have to have a partner any time you go into the field. Third, you'd have to be willing to work on any case the FBI hands you," he explains intently. I nod and try digesting the information.

I just decided the other day that I would become the new and improved Stephanie Plum, and now this opportunity is thrown in my lap. How could I turn it down? I'd get training not related to Ranger and a steady income. I'd also still get to solve interesting cases and take down bad guys. It'd be similar to what I do now but with more importance. Quinn is silent as I mull over what he's told me. The only thing is what if I don't like my partner? I've never been very good at working with RangeMan, but I guess that was because they ordered me around. If I had a partner, we'd be equals. Cheryl brings our food as I continue my contemplation.

"Would I have to move to Newark?" I question putting some ketchup on my burger. I also squirt some on the plate so I can dip my fries in.

"Not necessarily, but you would have to travel quite a bit with the new job," he replies before cutting into his salad and taking a bite, "Like I said this is a special case. We want you to get some training, but first priority is solving the case. Then you'll go through the extensive training at Quantico." I let everything he said sink in. I take a bite of my juicy burger and can't help but moan. It's been a while since I've had a good burger. I savor the taste. I grab a couple of fries, coat them in ketchup, and shove them into my mouth happily. I look up to see a surprised Quinn looking a mixture of impressed and pained. I furrow my brows.

"Are you okay?" I question after swallowing the food and daintily wiping my mouth with the napkin.

"Are you always this…this vocal when eating?" he questions shifting in his seat. I feel a blush creeping up my neck and painting my cheeks. I shrug.

"So I enjoy my food, is that a crime?" I ask defensively before taking another bite. Mmm, this burger is just so good. He moves awkwardly in his seat again.

"Are you free the rest of the afternoon?" he inquires as he polishes off the last of his salad before turning his attention to the Cuban sandwich. Why does everything have to remind me of he who must not be named? Is it so hard to ask that I forget about him? I sigh.

"Yeah, I didn't really have other plans other than researching more about the Bianchi family," I respond pausing to lick my finger where some of the burger juice and ketchup trailed down.

"Great!" Quinn says enthused, "We can get the paperwork started and maybe some testing." Oh boy. I wasn't expecting to start today. I guess better now than later.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Over 100 reviews with only 6 chapters! Thanks for the overwhelming support. :) I'm glad you're all enjoying the story. I think I will start posting Tuesday evenings instead of Wednesday morning.

Fun fact: I was looking up how to spell Juniak, and it turns out there's actually a Joe Juniak who was the police director for the Trenton PD. Isn't that funny? Also FYI, I am no FBI expert, but I love the TV shows Bones and Criminal Minds, so I'm just using my imagination and the internet. Anyways, here's the next chapter-it's a longer one. Enjoy!

* * *

Waste a Moment by Kings of Leon

" _She's a little burner, burner, gonna throw you to the flame  
Little ticking time bomb, time bomb, gonna blow us all away_

 _Oh, take the time to waste a moment  
Oh, never ask to be forgiven"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 7: Revelations**

Steph's POV

The car ride to Newark is uninteresting, and the traffic is awful. Quinn is mostly silent, and I'm getting bored. I've never done well with long, silent car rides.

"Sooo Quinn, tell me about yourself," I say once we've gotten thirty minutes into the ride. He glances over at me before returning his eyes to the road. His profile is nice, his nose fits his face and his jaw is strong. He doesn't seem to have a driving mode like Ranger, but he's not agitated like Morelli in traffic.

"I'm a city boy born and raised," he starts looking over with a boyish grin, "I lived in New York city most my life." I can't help but laugh. I mean I could definitely tell with his accent. I'm just surprised that he seems so genuinely happy about it and unafraid to share with me.

"My dad was an agent, and I just followed in his footsteps. My ma wasn't too happy, but she never said anything against it," he explains more, "now she wants me to find a nice girl and settle down, but it's hard with my line of work."

I'm struck by how odd it feels to have someone being open and honest with me. Ranger barely said more than a word to me, and Morelli always told me he was busy or just couldn't talk because of police business.

"I guess being an agent was always in my blood. I studied Criminal Justice at Rutgers. My little sister Tess is in Japan now, teaching English as a second language. My dad died the first year I joined the bureau. He had a heart condition that they didn't catch in time. I'm working on just being the best agent I can and trying to make him proud." He goes silent, and I'm sure he's reminiscing about his father. It must be hard for him. I can't imagine how I would feel if my dad died.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sure he's very proud of what you've done," I say, putting a hand on his arm for comfort. He gives me a small smile.

"And what about you Stephanie Plum or should I call you Bombshell the Bounty Hunter?" he questions in an amused voice. I huff at the nickname. I never really liked it much, but it seemed to stick especially with all the cars that have gotten destroyed in my possession.

"Just Steph. Bombshell is a stupid nickname the paper gave me," I reply, thinking he surely must already know this if he'd been looking into me.

"I hear you always get your man," he remarks before looking back at the road.

I shrug. Yes, it is true. I always seem to get my man even if I end up rolling in garbage or getting my car blown up first. I really should have listened to Ranger all those times he told me I needed more training. With my Spidey-Sense and natural curiosity, I always get to the bottom of things. Thinking of Ranger makes my heart ache. How could I have been so stupid for the past couple years and not listened to him? No wonder he'd go for Jeanne. She actually does her job well. I guess my silence bothers Quinn because he puts a hand on mine.

"Hey," he says quietly, "It's a good thing. And with you joining the FBI then you'll get even better." He smiles at me to reassure me. How is it that everyone knows what I'm thinking but I can never tell?

"Most of the accidents weren't even my fault," I start to explain, "I just tend to attract crazies who put up dirty fights and like to blow up my cars."

"I've read quite a few of the stories," he says with a laugh, "You lead an exciting life Stephanie Plum." I chuckle. I don't think that's how my mother would describe it.

"Yeah well, maybe you should talk to my mom," I reply, "explain that I'm not an embarrassment." He's quiet for several moments after I say that. I look over, and he looks unhappy. I suddenly feel nervous. Maybe he'll decide against offering me a position.

"Listen, Stephanie," he starts in a very serious voice, "When I said we've been looking at you, I wasn't kidding. I've read every article, talked to your friends, and even witnessed you first hand. I'm impressed, and you've done it all with little to no training." Now I'm the one who's silent as I take that in.

"You have to realize that most people, me included, do not have a 100% capture rate, and we have proper training," he continues in that serious voice of his. I feel tears fill my eyes. No one besides Ranger has ever said such good things to me about my work. I knew I always got my man, but I figured so did everyone else. Why had I been so stubborn in the past? I guess because I wanted to prove I could do it on my own, and that I was capable. I should've realized that I could get help and still be capable.

"That's one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me about my job," I say, swiping away a few stray tears. It's nice to not be considered a hot mess for once. I know my capture methods weren't orthodox, but he's right, I always get my man.

"Well get used to it, partner," he says with a cheeky grin. I sense he's trying to lighten the mood. The last word he uses catches my attention though.

"Partner?" I gape, "you're my partner? I assumed you'd be pairing me with someone else." He smirks and his sky blue eyes twinkle. I could get used to working with him.

"You thought I'd drop a 100% capture rate bounty hunter into someone else's hands?" he questions incredulously, "No way, not on my watch. Besides I'm the one who saw your work and did all the legwork." Well at least somebody has faith in me and wants to work with me.

"Are we close?" I question, looking at the endless line of cars on the highway. The traffic is part of the reason I don't like going into Newark. He looks at the clock on the dash and shrugs.

"Maybe 20 more minutes if we're lucky," he responds before honking his horn at a car that cuts him off, but just barely. That was a close one and even as a Jersey girl, I'm impressed by the driver's guts. If I were driving, I probably would be making some obscene hand gestures and letting loose a string of un-lady-like phrases.

"So what do the tests and training involve?" I ask tentatively. I've never done well with training before but then again I was stubborn. Now, I actually _want_ to get better. I'm just worried the physical tests will be too demanding. I'm not exactly a gym goer.

"The physical part includes sit-ups, push-ups, a 300-meter sprint, and a 1.5-mile run," he informs me with a slight grimace. I sigh and lean my head back on the headrest. There is no way I could pass any of these things.

"I only just started getting into running," I say quietly, feeling upset. He has misplaced faith in me. I'm just a screw-up who eats too many donuts and rolls in garbage.

"You need to stop doing that," Quinn orders as he takes his eyes off the road to stare at me. His blue eyes are glittering intently like a stormy horizon, and he's not happy.

"Stop what?" I ask shifting my gaze to avoid his probing eyes. He lets out a sigh. I fidget with my hands and pull on a strand of hair.

"Stop doubting yourself. The FBI wants you. We already did all the background checks and work to make sure you're qualified," he explains, "I'm here to help. You'll pass the physical stuff with no problem. You already passed the harder stuff without realizing it." I nod, suddenly feeling embarrassed for being so insecure in front of a complete stranger.

We make the rest of the ride in silence. The traffic is still bad, but not unmanageable. I'm just happy we didn't hit rush hour. The sedan is comfortable and much better than my Honda Passport, but my butt is still going numb. He pulls up to a huge building.

One side is made of red brick and instead of being boxy or rectangular, the edges are slightly rounded. The other side is made up of grey cinder-block and windows. The description makes it sound quite drab but it actually has a certain aesthetic. A fence goes around, and we have to be let in by the guard at the gate. I can barely see the Passaic River from the car window as the building seems to be in the perfect position to overlook it.

We park the car and head inside. Taking the elevator up we go to the fourth floor. Quinn goes out first, and I trail dutifully behind him.

"First stop: HR. You'll fill out all the necessary paperwork," he says with a slight downturn on his mouth. Hmmm…what is it with guys and disliking paperwork? I mean, yeah, it's boring but necessary.

He stops in front of a door and knocks twice. The hallway is well lit and the walls are painted a beige and the carpet is a deep bluish green. I see Quinn look back at me for a second before the door swings open. A serious looking woman with blonde hair opens the door. She's wearing a grey dress suit and some sensible looking black heels. She has small wire-framed glasses and piercing grayish blue eyes. When she realizes it's Quinn she breaks into a smile before her eyes settle on me.

"You must be Stephanie Plum!" she says it with a grin and suddenly she doesn't seem so serious, "My name is Xandra." I smile back.

"That's me. I'm here to do some paperwork," I say excitedly. I now feel a little under dressed considering I'm wearing jeans, a blue t-shirt, and black Nikes. I was dressed for some skip tracing, not FBI work. Neither of them seems to notice or care which makes me feel better.

"Quinn's told me all about you, and I have everything ready. We can move to the conference room down the hall," she explains, "I'll grab the paperwork and meet you down there." Quinn leads the way yet again. The conference room is big. I thought the one at RangeMan was impressive, but this one tops that no contest. The conference room must hold at least fifty people and has a beautiful mahogany table in the center with chairs all around. Several chairs are also against the walls. A phone is in the middle of the table. We take two seats at the end of the table. Quinn takes this opportunity to check his phone. A couple seconds later Xandra shuffles in carrying a stack of papers. Yeesh. Looks like this might take a while. She sends me an apologetic smile as she sets it on the table.

"This may take a while," she says, "but it's worth it!" She shuffles everything around and places a packet in front of me.

"Okay, these are just the basic rules and regulations for being an agent," she explains, "Read it through and sign on the last three pages. After that, we have your benefits package, salary, and contract length. You're also free to take it to a lawyer and return it in a few days." I nod and mentally crack my knuckles. I'm ready to jump in with both feet. A lawyer will just cost me time and money.

XXX

"Alright, this is the last one," Xandra says with a flourish as she places one last paper in front of me to sign. I sign quickly, and by now my signature is unrecognizable. My hand is cramping and one of my ass cheeks is falling asleep. It's been two hours, and at one point I thought it would never end. Quinn, having dozed off while I was signing my life away, is now fully alert. He claps his hands together and has an evil smirk on his face.

"Now, time for the physical stuff!" I narrow my eyes at him. At least I have a sports bra and athletic shoes on. Xandra stands and extends her hand.

"It was nice to finally meet you. Welcome to the team," she says with a genuine smile before grabbing the paperwork and scooting out the door. Quinn motions his hand and walks towards the door.

"Follow me, sweetheart."

Great, another nickname. I roll my eyes but don't say a word. Instead of going up, we take the elevator two floors down. It opens into a bland hallway with linoleum floor and a small entryway to double doors with small square windows three-quarters of the way from the top. I can see in a little and notice a boxing ring. Oh boy.

"If you go two doors to the left you'll find the women's locker room. There should be shorts in there for you to use, and a door leads into the gym area from there," Quinn explains, motioning with two fingers.

"I'll meet you in there in a few," he states before walking to the right. I guess there's a men's locker room on that side. I head into the locker room, and I'm surprised how big it is inside. Lockers line the walls on the right side of the room with benches in the middle and a mirror on the end of one wall. On the left, a little hallway opens up to bathroom stalls and a large counter with multiple sinks and a big mirror. A few baskets are attached to the wall. I see hand towels, shorts, hair ties, and some goggles. I grab a pair of shorts and change. I also grab a hair tie and pull my unruly hair into a ponytail. I find an empty locker and put my clothes and purse inside. I do my business before heading towards the door that's past the lockers. I see it opens into a small hallway with signs pointing to the Pool/Sauna or to the gym. I head to the gym.

The gym is a huge wide-open room. On one side there is a rack of weights with the wall covered in mirrors. A short distance from the weights area is the boxing ring and beside it, several punching bags hang down from the ceiling. The whole floor is made of the rubber material to keep sounds down and for weights to be dropped. The other side of the gym has treadmills and other machines. I notice that above us there seems to be an indoor track. Fancy gym. The middle area of the gym is just empty space. Quinn is sitting on a bench at the back of the room near a water cooler. Beside the water cooler, there are mats hanging from a peg drilled into the wall. I head over to him. He smiles when he sees me.

"About time Plum," he greets laying his phone on the bench and standing up.

"What are we working on first?" I question, not looking forward to whatever we're about to do.

"I'm just gonna have you do the sit-ups and push-ups for now so I can see where you are," he says with a grin. I roll my eyes. He grabs a mat from the wall and hands it to me.

"Drop and give me twenty!" I shoot him a side-eye glare. He laughs.

"Sorry, I just always wanted to say that." I punch him playfully in the shoulder. I feel so comfortable with him after knowing him less than a day. I think that bodes well for our partnership. I put the mat on the floor and start with the sit-ups. He shows me the proper technique and times me with his watch.

"Not bad Plum, not bad," he says as I finish my third set of sit-ups. By this time, I'm sweating and out of breath. He gets me a cup of water, and I suck it down.

"Okay, push-ups and then we'll get out of here," he says enthusiastically. I groan. He's not the one who just did all this exercise. I am barely able to do ten push-ups. I have to switch to being on my knees. Quinn reassures me that by the time I take the actual test, I'll be able to do more.

"Finished!" Quinn shouts with a flourish. I collapse sweatily onto the mat, panting hard. We're both silent. I'm embarrassed when my stomach makes an inhuman growling sound. Quinn looks down at me.

"What the hell was that?" he questions incredulously. I smile up at him sheepishly.

"I'm hungry," I say with a shrug before standing up. He shakes his head and chuckles.

"All right, go get cleaned up and we'll meet in the hall," he says with a grin, "then we'll get food and retire for the night." I try raising an eyebrow. Retire for the night? As in not going back to Trenton?

"Wait, then where will we stay?" I ask trying to raise an eyebrow. He chuckles when I fail.

"I have an apartment close by," he says with a wink as though that explains everything. I shoot him a glare, and he puts his hands up in surrender.

"I have a guest bedroom," he informs me, and I nod.

I head back into the locker room. I decide I might as well take a quick shower since they have towels available. I'm surprised that they actually provide soap, shampoo, and conditioner in the shower. I wash everything quickly before coming out and putting on the same clothes I had been wearing before. The shirt and bra are a little uncomfortable, but I don't have anything else to wear. I grab my bag from the locker and put a little mascara on. I head out and Quinn is standing in the hall against the wall with his head down as he looks at his phone. He grins when he looks up.

"Ready to go eat?" he questions and in response, my stomach chooses now to make a loud grumble. I feel heat rush to my cheeks, and Quinn does a full belly laugh. His hair falls a little into his eyes, and the lines around his face crinkle.

"Damn sweetheart, that stomach is something," he says shaking his head. I narrow my eyes.

"So let's go to this food you promised," I say testily. I'm getting really hungry now. I can't be held accountable for my words or actions when I have an empty stomach. And, I just did physical exercise. He pushes off against the wall, and we head to the elevator.

Ten minutes later we're sitting in an Irish pub. It's a quaint little place with a bar at the front and then tables in the back. We're sitting at a four-seater table, and I look around to take in the space. The lighting is dim and they have candles on each table. One wall has a string of Irish flags and different pictures on the wall. I study the menu and decide to go for the Fish and Chips. I startle from a shuffling movement, and then I realize it's Xandra. She gives us both a smile.

"Thanks for inviting me Quinn," she says, "I need to make more friends in the area." She laughs and looks at me pointedly. The waiter comes by and we all order. Quinn gets a Guinness and Xandra orders a glass of white wine. I decide not to partake, as I still recall the whole bottle of wine I drank the other night. Xandra excuses herself to the bathroom, and I realize I haven't checked my phone all day. I groan as I think about what could await me. I pull it out of my purse and realize it has been on silent all day. I let out a big groan and hang my head when I see I have 15 missed calls, six voicemails, and twenty text messages.

"What's wrong?" Quinn questions from across the table. I grimace.

"I forgot about my phone, and now I have everyone and my mother to talk to," I explain as I unlock the phone. I have text messages from Lula, Connie, my mother, Mary Lou, Lester Santos, and…Joe. Hmm. I ignore the texts and go to voicemails. I have three from my mother, one from Joe, one from Lula, and one from Connie. I listen to the voicemails first.

 _"Stephanie, this is your mother calling. Anna Patello said she saw you get in a car with a strange man and drive off,"_ the voice of my mother says shrilly from the phone. _"Her daughter doesn't get into car with strange men! Call me so I know you're not dead."_ Sigh. I listen to the next one.

 _"Hey Cupcake, I know we've had our differences but your mother called. She's worried and your car has been parked and empty on the street for a while. Call me so I know you haven't been kidnapped,"_ Joe says and I can tell he's probably taking some Maalox already. Double sigh. Of course, my mother would bring Joe into this.

 _"Yo white girl, yo' mamma is worried about you. She called up in here, and Joe stopped by looking for yo' skinny ass. Gimme a call if you need a ride."_ I recognize Lula's voice easily and if I didn't, I could tell by the way she speaks. Well, at least people care about me…right? I never thought they'd be so worried. Hell, I haven't even been gone a day.

 _"Steph, call me. Your mother is worried and they told where your car is parked. Just let me know you didn't run into Ian,"_ Connie's voice is frantic, _"If I don't hear from you, I'm going to tell my uncle to look for you."_ I skip the next two voicemails from my mother and just call her directly.

"Stephanie Michelle Plum! Why haven't you been answering your phone?" my mother screeches as soon as she picks up the phone. I rub my temple as I feel a headache coming along. Xandra chooses that moment to come back, and I see her give me a weird look. Quinn explains while I try to calm my mother.

"Mom, nice to talk to you too," I start, already annoyed, "I've been working all day and my phone was on silent." She's silent on the other end of the phone.

"I thought you'd been kidnapped by some crazy man again," she says and her voice sounds slow and slightly slurred. She's probably been tippling again. I feel slightly bad for making her worry.

"I'm sorry Mom, I should have called sooner. Don't worry, I've just been working and I'm perfectly fine," I reply, trying to reassure her.

"Okay, well I expect you for dinner soon," she says with a sigh.

"Okay, see you soon." We say goodbyes and hang up. Quinn and Xandra are looking at me with expressions of disbelief.

"Wow! Talk about overprotective mothers," Xandra says with a laugh. I laugh and shake my head.

"You have no idea." I look back at my phone and respond with texts to everyone else. The text from Lester catches me off guard, but I guess it shouldn't.

 _"Beautiful, control room says your car has been parked at the same place too long. Is everything alright?"_

Another text from Lester but a few hours later, _"Beautiful, we got worried so we tracked your phone. What are you doing in the FBI field office in Newark? R u ok?"_

Lester Santos is a RangeMan. I've been partnered with him on several occasions, and we get along really well. He's tall and lean with shaggy light brown hair and intense green eyes. He's a total ladies' man and practical jokester, but someone I consider a good friend. He can be serious when needed. He also happens to be Ranger's cousin.

I go ahead and respond to everyone, assuring them I'm not dead, just been working. I don't mention anything about the FBI. I tell Lester I'm fine and will explain later. Quinn said that for this case I shouldn't mention it since we don't want Ian to know the Bureau is after him. I have a feeling RangeMan is going to end up being in the loop. After answering everyone, I'm finally able to pay attention to my dinner companions. The food arrives at the perfect time and we all dig in.

"So, Xandra how did you join the FBI?" I question as I take a bite of my fried fish. She finishes chewing a bite of her food and takes a sip of wine before replying.

"I just started two years ago. I'm originally from South Dakota, but I studied at Princeton," she explains, "I just thought it would be cool and when I finished college I got a position." I nod and think maybe we'll grow to be good friends.

"Must be hard being so far from home," I state before swirling some of my fries in ketchup before consuming them. She nods. We continue chatting and eating. By the end of the meal, we're all full. I feel like I made two new friends today and a great start to a better life.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews, favorites, and follows! It always makes my day seeing what you all think of my writing & the story. Sorry I haven't responded personally, but life is crazy! I am enjoying my new job though. Be sure to let me know what you think about this chapter! I also love hearing what you guys think will happen or want to happen so be sure to review! Enjoy!

* * *

Feeling Good by Michael Bublé

" _It's a new dawn  
It's a new day  
It's a new life  
For me  
And I'm feeling good  
I'm feeling good"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 8: Special Agent Plum Reporting for Duty**

Steph's POV

The smell of freshly brewing coffee wakes me in the morning. I stretch and breathe deeply as I open my eyes. For a second, I'm disoriented and have no clue where I am. I'm in a bed that is not my own. I look around and realize I'm on a full-size mattress in a pale moss green colored room. It has a small dresser and two small nightstands. When my brain wakes a little more I remember I'm in Quinn's guest bedroom. My body is very sore. I can feel my abs protesting as I sit up in bed. My legs feel tight from the running. I stretch one more time and groan as I feel the pull in my muscles. I slip out of bed and go to the small bathroom down the hall. Quinn has a nice apartment. It's sparsely decorated but the decorations he does have are tasteful. He has a lot of earthy, muted tones that make for a calming environment. After the bathroom, I pad out into the kitchen to see him sitting at his small table with a newspaper in hand.

"Good morning sleepyhead," he says with a smile, "I have coffee ready if you want a cup before our run." My jaw drops. Before _our_ run? Excuse me, who does he think he is?

"Our run?" I question putting a hand on my hip. He folds the paper and sets it down.

"I figured we'd go together since you're here," he replies calmly, "I can time you and see how close you are for the testing." Oh, right. I smile sheepishly. I guess I'm not over my gut reaction of hating exercise. I walk over to the coffee pot and use the mug sitting beside it.

"You're right," I say as I add a bit of sugar and cream, "what time is it any-" I stop my sentence as I look at the clock above the stove.

"It's _7:15_?" I shriek feeling gipped out of another hour of sleep. I see Quinn smirking, and I realize I _really_ need to get a grip. I take a few deep breaths and take a sip of coffee. I close my eyes and let the warmth spread through my body. I relax a bit as I feel the caffeine entering my system.

"Sorry Quinn. I'm not usually a morning or exercise person, but I'm working on it," I apologize with a grimace, "Actually, before I met you I had just decided to get better at my job so it's still an adjustment for me." He nods and smiles.

"It's fine," he says with his eyes crinkling with his smile, "honestly, you're pretty entertaining. You walked in here like a zombie." I roll my eyes back in my head before taking a seat at the table.

"So what's on the agenda for today?" I ask as he hands me a banana from a bowl in the middle of the table.

"First things first, we'll go for a run. We can then go to the bureau so you can shower and change and eat a real breakfast. While we're there you can pick up your badge, and I can set you up on the database if you wanted to do any computer searches. I need to report to my boss. Then I figured we'd share our info on the Bianchi's before I drive you back to Trenton," he explains before taking a drink of his own coffee. I blow out a sigh, another long day ahead of me.

After finishing the cup of coffee and the banana, I head back to the spare bedroom. I strip out of the t-shirt Quinn lent and put on my dirty shirt and bra from the day before. I leave the shorts he lent me on. I also put my holster and gun on before I lace up my shoes. I can't wait to get out of these clothes. He basically promised I'd get to change after we run and get to the Bureau. Once I'm ready, I meet Quinn back in the kitchen. He's already waiting for me. He's wearing a form-fitting white t-shirt with dark blue running shorts and blue Nikes. I can't help but admire the view. I shake my head. He's your partner, get a grip!

"No gun or badge?" I question as I look him over. He shoots me a grin.

"Nope. I figure we'll run to the Bureau then I can get you some clothes. While you're showering I'll come back here and change," he says as he walks towards the front door.

"You just have a plan for everything, don't you?" I question somewhat in awe. Of course, that reminds me of another man. He chuckles.

"Best to be prepared. Besides then we can utilize the whole day instead of wasting time," he replies with a shrug. I guess that's pretty good reasoning.

We head out for the jog, and I surprise myself by keeping up with Quinn. Maybe he's going slower for me, but he doesn't say anything. We run in companionable silence with only the sounds of our breathing and the street noise. The FBI building is in view. We stop at the gate and walk the rest of the way up.

"Not bad, Plum," Quinn states looking at his watch, "We did two miles in 20 minutes." My mouth gapes open. That's impressive for me, and I didn't even need a break. He gets us past the gate and into the building. I know I do not look pleasant, and my sweaty smell is questionable. I know my cheeks are flushed an unflattering shade of pink with my hair flattened against my sweaty head.

"We can go to the closet. We keep extra clothes in there for agents in case of emergencies," he explains as we head up to the second floor. We go past the men's locker room and there's another door marked closet. He opens the door and it is a huge closet. One side is clearly men's clothing and the other is women's. Geez, I would have appreciated this yesterday after sweating. I see clothing in my size and pick out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I also grab some undergarments.

"Alright, I'm going to go back home to change. I want you to go inside the gym before you shower and work with the trainer," he says with a smirk. I narrow my eyes at him. He so did not mention this earlier.

"The trainer?" I question a bit testily. I take a deep breath and remind myself that I signed up for this. I can do this. I _want_ to do this. Quinn grins at me. The smile catches me off guard, and I realize how truly attractive Quinn is. I'm going to have to be careful around him.

"Marco, he's a great guy. He'll help you with some self-defense moves and have you do the sit-ups and push-ups again," Quinn explains as we leave the closet, "Oh, and you'll want to leave your gun in the locker room." I nod.

"I'll see you in an hour, sweetheart," Quinn says as I head into the locker room. I find a locker and put all my stuff into it before heading out to the gym. I scan the area and see several people on the treadmills, one person giving the punching bag a beating, and one man sitting on the bench near the water cooler. I guess that's Marco. I walk over pushing my shoulders back in a fake show of confidence. Fake it till you make it, right? He looks up when I'm a few feet in front of him. He grins and stands quickly. He's not as tall as Quinn and has blonde hair. He has brown eyes and light skin. His smile is crooked but endearing. He's well-muscled, and I feel like I might be in trouble. He reaches out a hand and I shake it.

"Hi, I'm Marco," he greets in a smooth voice. I smile.

"I'm Steph, the newbie," I reply, "ready to kick my butt?" He lets out a chuckle and shakes his head.

"Well hopefully, you'll be kicking my butt," he says before stretching, "we'll just do some basics today and have you do the sit-ups and push-ups after." I try raising an eyebrow.

"You talked to Quinn, didn't you?" I question before muttering, "he didn't tell me about this purposely." I shake my head and Marco just laughs. We start with self-defense, and I guess the years of skip-tracing have helped. I'm able to tell when he's going to do some moves because I recognize them. I'm a little wimpy on my attacks, but I'm not too bad at dodging. He gives me tips on what to do in the future and shows me ways to get out of different holds. I definitely need more practice though because while I could dodge some, I would be dead during others. I guess I'm really lucky I never got into a really serious situation. Well, I guess someone was always bailing me out. Ugh. After some practice, we go into the sit-ups and push-ups.

XXX

An hour later, I am newly sore and stepping out of the shower. I just got my ass handed to me by Marco. I think he tried going gentle, but he's still a big guy. I wasn't able to block everything he did. Marco did say I improved my push-ups. I guess Quinn updated him about how I did yesterday. I get dressed quickly before working on my hair with the supplies in the building. Honestly, I'm surprised they provide so much. I'll have to go sans makeup because I don't have my purse with me. After finishing up, I head to the hallway where I see Quinn waiting. He's back to wearing a suit, and I have to admit I like the look. He looks up from his phone as I emerge.

"About damn time, sweetheart," he says with a grin that lets me know he's not really mad. He hands me my purse before pushing off the wall. My stomach lets out a loud growl. I burned through that banana a long time ago.

"Let's go feed the beast," he says shaking his head in disbelief. We go up one floor and head towards the right. It's a kitchen with a table. He goes to the muffins on the counter and motions for me to follow.

We pour another cup of coffee and eat together. Once we finish up, we head back up to the fourth floor. We stop by Xandra's office and she smiles when she hands me my very own badge. I feel so cool! Giddy off of knowing I'm an agent, Quinn takes me one floor up. I notice it's mostly all cubicles. Only a few are taken, but he takes me over to the far left corner. A computer with two monitors sits on the desk. He motions for me to sit down.

"You can log in with this information," he says handing me a sticky note, "Once you log in you'll have to pick a unique password. You can then log on to the FBI computer system and use any of our programs." I nod liking the sound of that.

"I'll be back in a bit. I have a few things to do myself," he says before leaving me on my own.

After logging in and changing my password, I dig the Bianchi file out of my purse. I set it on the desk as I look through the search programs here. They look similar to the ones I've used at RangeMan. I even see a few of the same ones. Seeing a notepad and pencil on the desk, I grab it and get ready.

I first look up Ian's mother. Something just seemed so off by her death. I find the electronic record of the Medical Examiner's report. I don't know a lot of medical jargon, but it looks like she died of a heart attack. A small note scribbled at the bottom makes me think that maybe she was suffocated. Considering Ian's violent streak, I wouldn't put it past him. Another file on his mother catches my eye. It's sealed, but I can see I can get in. I open it and my jaw drops. Estella Bianchi had turned into a confidential informant against her family. Oh, Jesus. No wonder the Feds are all over this. I jot some notes down and look into all the properties owned by the Bianchi's. I see the apartment complex I checked out yesterday, but I also see two warehouses, a house in the Burg, and a compound at the edge of the city. The warehouses are listed as packaging factories, but I can't help but think it's a front for the drugs.

I look up the DEA agent he beat up next. I find he's still in a coma at St. Helen's. His name is George Cooper a fifty-two-year-old with a wife and two grown children. I'm able to find his report on the Bianchi's. He'd made notes about the deaths of the drug users. He had questioned the deceased a few weeks before they were gunned down. The guns used were also found at the crime scene, serial numbers scratched off and with no fingerprints. The guns seem likely to have come from the Ramos family, but there's no real proof. It wouldn't make sense for anyone in Ian's family to gun down their customers…unless they found out they snitched.

It looks like Cooper followed Ian to one of the warehouses one night and either confronted Ian or Ian noticed him and beat him to a bloody pulp. He had several missing teeth, a skull fracture, and multiple defensive wounds. He was found the next morning by a warehouse worker. After making a note to call the hospital and have them update us when/if he wakes up, I decide to look into Sarah Shupp. She went missing two months ago after a fight between her and Ian. Even the gossip mongers in Trenton don't know what the fight was about. I look into her credit card history and it looks like she made a purchase…one week ago. Interesting. Either someone stole her cards or she's still alive. It says it was used in Atlantic City. I jot down the information. Maybe if I find Sarah she can lead me to Ian or help us figure out why he would bolt.

I'm just signing off as Quinn reappears. I put my notes into the file and turn to face Quinn.

"Find out a lot?" he asks as I stand and stretch.

"Some interesting stuff," I reply, "what's next on the agenda?" He motions for me to follow him, and we end up going up one more floor. We walk into a small room with a table scattered with paper.

"This is what I've got on the Bianchi's," he explains taking a seat before we get down to business comparing notes.

XXX

"So we need to figure out why druggies are dying, find out what happened to Sarah Shupp, hopefully, bring down the Bianchi's drug business and then find Ian and turn him in," Quinn says as though we'll simply be making something dinner. While I don't think making dinner is easy, it sounds easier than the tasks we have ahead of us.

"Well I ran Sarah's credit cards and she has a charge on one from last week," I inform Quinn as I push a paper to him, "if it's her, she's in Atlantic City." He nods thoughtfully.

"Okay, so I say we take you back to Trenton. I'll stay in a hotel nearby so we can get together during the day. I can then head with you as you do your thing," Quinn suggests putting all the paperwork into a neat stack.

"Sounds good. You really want to do this my way?" I ask, a little surprised. I'm used to people telling me what to do, not the other way around.

"You have good instincts and you've caught every single one of your FTAs. I think following your lead will be the best. I'll be sure to tell you if I have an idea, but we can decide together," Quinn replies with one of his breathtaking smiles, "we're partners." I swallow a lump in my throat. No one has ever been so thoughtful. I guess I'm just used to Ranger telling me what I should do, Tank handcuffing me to himself, and Morelli berating me.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Here is a little Labor Day treat aka an early post. Thank you for all the reviews! I read each and every single one. :) Let me know what you think of this chapter!

* * *

Under Pressure by Queen

" _Pressure pushing down on me  
Pressing down on you no man ask for…_

 _It's the terror of knowing  
What the world is about  
Watching some good friends  
Screaming 'Let me out'  
Pray tomorrow gets me higher"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 9: Mission - Bombshell**

Quinn's POV

Finding Stephanie Plum is easy. A quick look-up in the database and I have her address which I had for quite some time. Instead of running into her at one of her normal hang out spots, I figure the best place to start is with her investigation. I know she usually goes to her FTA's last known address so I might as well meet her there. It'd also be nice to catch her off guard and see how she works under pressure. I have a good feeling about her, which I should, after a year of investigating.

I park on the street across from Ian Mahoney's townhouse in my FBI issued blue Chevrolet. The windows are tinted so dark no one can see in, but I still can see everything going on outside. She parks a few blocks down which is smart. I watch as she struggles to get out of her car and then walks up the street. She only looks a little conspicuous with her looking around like she's doing something she shouldn't be. She then lets herself into the backyard. Well…breaking and entering isn't under my jurisdiction so I won't bust her for it, and she's not on the payroll yet so it's not a breach of protocol. I get out of the sedan and quietly close the door before heading to where she has gone in the house. I like that there's a fence to block prying eyes. I stand and wait in the backyard.

I see her coming out leisurely and quietly. She closes the door and turns to face me. She jumps back, surprise evident on her face. I know I catch her off guard. I study her as she studies me. She's much more attractive up close and in person than in the photos. She's wearing form-fitting jeans and a blue v-neck t-shirt. After questioning her on the B&E, I threaten to call Ian himself. Not that I would ever do that, but she doesn't have to know. I just want to see what she will do in this situation. I'm surprised by her when she encourages me to call Ian. She doesn't back down so I'm forced to. I feel a new found respect for her.

Once I explain things to her, she agrees to come with me for lunch. I take her to a diner I saw on my way into town. It's a Mom & Pop establishment called Thunderbird. The waitresses here wear old-fashioned uniforms, and there are only 4 booths and the bar to eat at. Stephanie and I get a booth where we have a staring competition before the waitress interrupts us. I'm surprised by her order and wonder how she can manage to eat all that and still be in shape. Of course, I had heard things about her appetite, but I always thought it was exaggerated. I'm finally able to explain to her what the FBI is doing interested in her and that we want to recruit her. I knew she would be shocked, but I never expected her to doubt herself as much as she does. I'm definitely going to have to help my partner realize her potential and stop doubting herself.

After a few hours with her, I'm certain I made the right choice when I decided to look into Stephanie Michelle Plum. I can tell she has a lot to work on, but she's already got a solid base. From what her family and friends said last year (I had pretended to be a reporter for some), her mother always ragged on her and so did her boyfriend Joe Morelli. They seemed to tear down her self-esteem, but that never stopped her from getting her man. I think with the right encouragement she'll be an unstoppable force. I already had one screwed up partner, and I don't need another.

I think back to the beginning of my research on Stephanie Plum. Who knew it would take a whole year for me to actually get to recruit and talk to her? I'm just sorry I can't tell her my sources. I'm not supposed to divulge who I interviewed and neither are the interviewees. In fact, they had to sign sworn documents saying they wouldn't tell anyone about the interview. Although for most of the gossip mongers saying I was a reporter worked like a charm, and they never knew I really wasn't who I said I was.

I know I shouldn't be surprised, but after going over our information on the case, I'm surprised that she has already gathered so much on the Bianchi's when she just got the file a few days ago. She also caught the credit card activity by Sarah. I had basic information, but more in-depth on the whole Bianchi family, not just on Ian. I think her more concentrated approach will end up working better for us. She also has a lot of local contacts we can use in this situation.

 **1 Year Ago**

"Sir, are you sure about this? I mean according to the papers she's a disaster," I say, throwing the latest Bombshell the Bounty Hunter headline article onto his desk. He's sitting behind his desk on the top floor of the building.

"You wanted her initially," he says slowly before picking up the article, "I thought you said she was capable." I chew on my lip. I do believe she is capable. A few months ago a newbie bounty hunter named Stephanie Plum popped up on my radar. It seemed she has the ability to figure out any case out and befriend the least likely of people. I'd done a little research on her, but now it's my name on the line. My boss told me to look into her after I brought her to the Bureau's attention.

After the last clusterfuck of a case where I lost my partner, I want someone who is good at their job and unwavering in doing the right thing. I take a deep sigh. I have to believe my original instinct is right.

"Yes sir, she is. Permission to start the detailed interviews of family and friends?" I question ready to start doing the work so she could join the Bureau…if she'll accept. He nods.

"Since this is an unusual case you'll have to do it on your own time," he explains, "I'd start with Joseph Juniak, Mayor of Trenton. He's a personal friend of mine and happens to be Plum's uncle." I nod. Doing these interviews is just preliminary and in no way a sure bet that she'll be let on at the Bureau.

"Get me all the files when you've concluded your findings," Deputy Director Booth says as a dismissal. I nod and head out the door.

I've been working with the FBI for the past eight years. I became an agent because my dad was one and it has always been my life-long dream. I studied Criminal Justice at Rutgers and once I was old enough I applied to the Bureau. My first year in as a rookie agent, my dad collapsed and died of an undiagnosed heart condition. It was hell, but my sister, my ma, and I survived. I continued being an agent and my mom continued her work as an ER nurse but she moved to New Jersey to be closer to her family. She's planning to retire next year. My sister Tess went to Princeton and now is in Japan teaching. I try talking to her every week.

I originally started in the White-Collar crime division, but after being in the Bureau for three years I transferred to the Violent Crime division. It was a big change and where I met my partner Anna. We didn't get along at first. She had been doing violent crime her whole time in the Bureau. We eventually became friends and had a relationship the higher-ups would have frowned upon if they'd known about. It eventually turned out that Anna was obsessed with the murder of her mother and figured out who did it using Bureau resources. She went to confront the guy who did it and killed him, but not before he shot her too. She had no backup and no one found her body for three days. Those three days were some of the worst in my life. It scared me that I thought I knew her, and she had hidden everything from me.

After that debacle, I talked with the Deputy Director and he moved me to Organized Crime. It's been nice, but I've put a lot of people into Witness Protection. In return, I've gotten a lot of testimonies and put away different "family" members. It's hard to cut the head off the snake. It's been an adjustment, but not too hard. Stephanie Plum would be the ideal partner since she has a lot of connections. I'm from New York originally, and I don't have the resources in Jersey like she does. Plus, her capture rate is one-hundred percent and after my unlucky year, I could use something good.

 **11 Months Ago**

"Mr. Juniak," I greet with a handshake. Joe Juniak is the mayor of Trenton. I'm meeting with him after Booth told me to. He's the first in-person interview I'm conducting. It turns out he's also Stephanie's uncle. I think he'll be able to give him me a good idea about her in both a personal and professional capacity.

"Nice to meet you Special Agent Quinn," he says with a smile. I can see the politician in him, but he doesn't smell of corruption like some of the others I've met.

"I take it Deputy Director Booth told you I'd be coming," I say as we both sit down. His office is not big or small with a big oak desk and two oak bookshelves behind him.

"He did and he already sent down the confidentiality paperwork so we're all set here. No one in this city will know about this conversation," he says leaning back in his brown leather chair.

"Good, it's imperative we keep this down. I'm just doing preliminary work now and there's no guarantee she'll even be accepted into the agency," I reply grabbing my recorder. I turn it on and we begin the interview.

"I've known Stephanie since she was little," he starts with a smile, "she was always a strong-willed little girl. She never bought into that housewife stuff her mother tried shoving down her throat. I know her bounty hunting methods are not…orthodox shall we say, but she always gets her man. She seems to see leads and puts clues together when no one else does." I can tell he cares deeply about her.

"Her mother has always been vocal about her dislike of the job, but I know she loves her daughter. Helen just doesn't understand her. I was in the Army with her father Frank, we were best friends and I eventually married his sister. He's very proud of his daughter for following her heart instead of conforming to the Burg. I'm pretty proud too. I always knew she'd do more than get married and pop out babies."

We talk for about thirty more minutes. I can tell he has a great respect for his niece even though she makes the news often, and not in a good light. He assures me that the press only ever seems to make it seem like her fault when she stumbles into the problems.

XXX

"What can you tell me about Stephanie Plum?" I question the curly redhead standing near the scene. She's wearing skin-tight leather pants, a red top that does little to hide the cleavage peeking out. She looks me up and down before smiling.

"Now why would you want to know about that idiot?" she asks in a sickening voice. She steps closer to me, and I step back involuntarily.

"I'm uh…doing a news article on her," I say grabbing the recorder out of my pocket. She licks her lips.

"You're awfully cute to be a reporter doing a story on some klutz who isn't even pretty," she replies coming closer. Obviously ignoring my subtle hints to get farther away from her.

"From what I hear she always gets her man," I counter. She huffs and rolls her eyes before putting a hand on her hip.

"Stephanie Plum just uses dumb luck," she explains, "she's not even good in bed. Ask her ex-husband." She smirks now. I feel annoyed by her comments. I know the stories. I've heard Joyce Barnhardt has always had it out for Stephanie Plum, and I just wanted to see if there was a basis for it. Now I realize that she's just jealous. She's also obviously had surgery and is just looking for the next thing to pay her bills.

XXX

"You two work closely with Stephanie," I start, "what can you tell me about her?" I'm staring at Lula Johnson and Connie Rosolli. They both have worked with Stephanie for the past three years. I've heard some of the stories, but there's nothing like hearing it right from the source. I was able to get them to cooperate by offering lunch. I was also surprised by how hard I had to convince them it was going to be a good piece and not one just picking her apart. I can tell they're fiercely loyal and don't want anything bad written about their friend. Lula shifts uneasily in the booth across from me.

"Listen 'ear," she starts wringing her hands, "I'mma tell you how we met, but you gotta promise to keep the details out the paper. Only good stuff, remember?" I nod. I spend the next hour and a half listening to them tell me stories of their friend. They only have good things to say about her other than they wish she would get more training.

XXX

"Yeah she's cool man," the man says, "she's like fucking awesome. Aw shit." He snaps the rubber band on his arm twice. "Aw fuck, that shit hurts. Fudge man." He snaps the band two more times. I'm currently sitting across from Salvatore Sweet aka Sally Sweet. A unique friend Stephanie met when he was FTA, but he also helped her when she was cornered by a gang.

"I totally got a kick outta helping her solve those puzzles and she always came with Lula to support my band," he continues, "plus ya know I saved her life once." I nod and continue talking to the cross-dresser who tries not to curse.

XXX

"Why do you want information on Stephanie?" the cop asks with his lips in a thin line and his brown eyes looking hard. He's got the hard-ass cop face down to a T. I hold out my FBI issued fake press badge.

"I'm doing a piece on her for the Times of Trenton," I explain with what I hope is a reassuring smile. The man sighs and runs a hand through his hair. His jaw clenches and he takes a deep breath.

"Well, she's my girlfriend for starters. I've known her since she was six. She's been bounty hunting for a few years," he explains before lifting his arm and scratching the back of his head. "She's got a good intuition but her tactics give me heartburn. I'd prefer if she'd get a different job." I can see the half-empty bottle of Maalox sitting on his desk. From the rumors, he's a good cop with a wild streak. He's a lady's man. I found out he was her first FTA, and she helped clear his name. As we continue talking I can't help but feel that he underestimates her.

XXX

I press the red button on the black speaker box. Static comes through before one word, "Speak."

"Hi, uh, my name is Kent Jackson from the Times of Trenton," I say hoping I'll get to talk to the boss. "I'm hoping to speak with Ricardo Mañoso for a piece I'm doing." I'm surprised when the gate opens. I walk inside and see a fleet of black vehicles. My attention is drawn to the left where an elevator opens. Two men step off. One is thin and wiry with long hair pulled back, and I can make out a teardrop on his face. The other one is tall and well built. His hair is pulled back into a shorter ponytail. Both are Latino, dressed in all black and carrying weapons. I feel naked without my service weapon, but reporters don't carry guns. The tall one strides over to me. I notice a name, RangeMan, embroidered over the left breast. He has an earring sparkling in one lobe.

"What do you want?" he questions in a voice of authority. I swallow thickly, feeling intimidated. I haven't felt intimidated in a long time.

"I just have a few questions," I say getting the feeling that I won't get much from this man. I didn't expect to, not with the reputation he has. I've heard he claims Stephanie as his woman on the street. Very interesting. I also did a background check on him. He has a lot of sealed, classified files but he has gotten many medals and awards from the Army. He studies me and quirks an eyebrow.

"You can ask, but I don't guarantee answers." I nod and try to discreetly turn on the recorder. I notice his eyes follow my movements.

"Can you tell me about Stephanie Plum? I'm writing an article for the Times of Trenton," I explain hoping that he'll give me something. I can't read any of this guy's emotions. The other just stands in the background, watching the both of us.

"She works here part-time sometimes," he says before pausing, "otherwise you'll have to ask her yourself." He turns and walks to the elevator. He stops briefly to say something to the other man. The wiry one nods and Mañoso gets into the elevator. The wiry one stays and walks over to me. He basically pushes me out of the garage and watches me as the gate closes. Well, that was helpful.

 **5 Months Ago**

After completing all of the field investigative work the past couple months I've finally gotten enough files sufficiently full for approval. I ended up not talking to her direct family and sent in another agent for that, but I read his full reports. I head up to Deputy Director Booth's office to hand them to him. He's on the fifth floor in a medium-sized office with a good view over the river. I knock twice and hear him call for me to enter. I head in and see him taking a drink from his coffee mug. I head in and take a seat in front of him.

"What do you have for me, Quinn?" he asks giving me his full attention. Booth is about fifty and is well-known for his work in the Bureau back in the day. He's put a lot of bad guys away in his time and now he directs other agents to.

"I have all of the interviews documented, and the statement I wrote about what I think about her," I reply, handing him a stack of papers. He takes them and places them in the center of his desk.

"I want to hear what you think," he says inviting me to tell him my findings. I sit back and cross my legs.

"She's an interesting woman," I start, not even sure that covers a fourth of the person Stephanie Michelle Plum is. Honestly, I think I barely scratched the surface when I did interviews with people who know her.

"She has a lot of people who say she has little to no training, but everyone says she always gets her man," I continue, "she inspires loyalty in an unlikely set of people. She has a few people who had bad things to say about her, but my feelings are they're just jealous. Her family thinks she needs a new profession, but I could tell they're proud of her anyways." He nods.

"Sounds pretty solid," Booth says, "I look forward to going through everything." I nod.

"I think you'll be impressed," I reply, "especially since she has no training. I think once she does, she'll be unstoppable." He nods.

"I have one other person I think you should talk to," he says opening a drawer and pulling out a notebook, "He actually called soon after she popped up on your radar which is one of the reasons I let you do it." He opens the book and scribbles something on a card. My brow furrows. I'm surprised he has someone else he wants me to talk to when I've concluded my investigation. He hands me the white card.

"Go now," he tells me with a small smile, "we'll talk tomorrow." I nod, feeling confused and brushed off. I look down at the card and see it's just a name and number. The name is Mr. Jones. Jeez, I don't even have a first name to go off of. I wonder why the Deputy Director thinks hearing from him is important. I guess I may not have even had an investigation without this guy. I wonder what he could have said to persuade Booth?

I head down to one of the small rooms used for meetings. I flip the card over in my fingers. I guess I'll give Mr. Jones a call and see what he has to say about Stephanie. I take a seat after I turn on the light and shut the door. It's odd that he didn't give me a first name or any information on this guy really. I shrug and dial the number. It rings four times before someone answers. I hear nothing.

"Hello, is this Mr. Jones?" I ask uncertainly. I hear some shuffling on the other line.

"Who's asking?" a gruff low voice replies over the phone. Doesn't sound like a friendly voice, but Deputy Director Booth told me to call.

"Special Agent Rivers from the Newark field office," I reply, "Deputy Director Booth told me to call and ask you about Stephanie Plum?" I say the last part in a question. I hear a low chuckle.

"I was expecting this," the voice replies. It's a little unnerving that he seems to know more than me about this. I clear my throat.

"So…uh…what can you tell me about her?" I ask hesitantly as I uncap a pen. I don't know why I feel like such a newbie on this phone call. He chuckles, and I have the acute feeling he can tell how uncomfortable I am.

"I've known her for a while. At first, I thought she was just some stuck up white girl, but to be honest I didn't know her then," the voice says sounding thoughtful, "She's tougher than she looks, has a heart of gold, and will do anything to help the people she loves. I've been in the Army with guys less loyal than Steph." I'm blown away by the description. Not many people can have someone with an Army background say such good things about them.

"She also has an uncanny knack for getting into trouble and finding people," he continues, his voice softer as he describes her, "She could use training, but the raw skills are there."

"Wow, that's quite a description," I say realizing my gut instincts about her were right. I knew after most of the interviews that she'd be right for the job.

"How would you classify your relationship with Ms. Plum?" I question as I start drawing a little square on the paper. The man chuckles again.

"It's professional although she doesn't like accepting help very often," he responds and it makes me wonder about the man I have on the phone. I never met anyone in Trenton with the last name Jones.

"Mr. Jones, what is it that you do?" I ask trying to get clarity on this whole thing.

"I thought you were just calling about Ms. Plum?" he says his tone much more closed off now. I sigh.

"I'm just trying to get an understanding of who is vouching for her. Booth didn't tell me anything, just gave me your card, Mr. Jones," I explain hoping that my honesty will get him talking.

"Have Booth giving you my information vouches for me," he responds, totally closed off.

"Mr. Jones please," I say hoping for something.

"For future reference," he says before pausing, "call me Tank." And the line goes dead. I sigh, well at least I have a character statement albeit from a guy who calls himself Tank.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews! Sorry I haven't gotten back to anyone-life has been crazy! Here is the next installment. Let me know what you think! :)

* * *

Honesty by Billy Joel

" _I can always find someone  
To say they sympathize  
If I wear my heart out on my sleeve  
But I don't want some pretty face  
To tell me pretty lies"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 10: Partners**

Steph's POV

After working with Quinn for a few hours on the case, we get back into his car and head to Trenton. We grab lunch on the road. Frankly, I'm exhausted from all of the exercise and emotionally from everything. I should also give Lester a call and stop by to see my parents, although, my parents can wait. Quinn said we should keep our FBI status a secret unless we find it necessary because we don't want the Bianchis to know that we're after their whole drug operation. While our main goal is to turn in Ian, we hope to get the whole drug operation while we're at it. It's pretty exciting really. Apparently, the DEA wasn't the only government agency looking at the drug operation. Then when the agent got beat it made it even more important to the FBI.

"So I feel like you know so much about me, partner," I say breaking the silence in the car as we sit in the barely crawling traffic. I'm interested to know more about Quinn. I feel like he isn't telling me something important about himself. Granted, I've barely known him for two days; but still, I should know him and trust him. He looks over.

"That's true. I had to do extensive background searches on you," he replies with a grin. I sigh. I feel my privacy was severely violated. I mean they didn't even know I would say yes to this for sure. For all they knew, they did all of this research only for me to decline the job offer.

"Feel like sharing?" I ask attempting to arch an eyebrow.

"Well I told you some basic stuff like where I went to school, studied, about my folks," he says, "I have a younger sister named Tessa who is currently in Japan teaching English as a second language. She's two years younger than me and we were super close growing up." I nod.

"I take it you know about my sister and parents," I reply with a small smile. He shrugs.

"I mean I have the reports and stuff they've said about you, but you're the only person I haven't talked to," he replies, "so really I only know what other people think about you. I don't actually know you." I nod, biting my lip. Still, he has so much information on me, and I have nothing on him. I guess I'll learn in time. Quinn senses my hesitance. He grabs my hand and tries to reassure me with a smile.

"I struggled with reading growing up. I played soccer in high school. I was crowned prom king. I've had two serious relationships in my life. I hate peas and ketchup. I love a good Philly cheesesteak, and I love Bruce Springsteen," he rattles off as he rubs circles on my hand with his thumb. I feel better knowing he's telling me all of this stuff just to make me feel better and to reassure me that I can trust him. It shows he's thoughtful and actually cares about being my partner. I ignore the part about him hating ketchup even though I find that flat out wrong. I smile at him.

"Okay Quinn," I say with a smile, "thank you for sharing." He nods.

"Look, sweetheart, this partnership can only work if we feel like we know and trust each other," he explains cutting his eyes to the road, "I know that comes with time, but like you said I know a lot about you already. I've had a year to get used to the idea of being partners, and you're being thrown into this. I'll do what I can to help make it easier for you."

We drift into silence and he drives me back to my car. I sigh as the Honda Passport comes into view. Ugh, if the driver's door doesn't open this is about to be embarrassing. He pulls up to the curb, and I step out. I lean against the door with my feet on the road.

"I'm going to go get checked in at the hotel and probably stay in for the evening," he informs me, "you should get some rest. We can go jogging in the morning." I nod.

"Sounds good. I think I'll look over the notes, maybe make a few calls," I respond. He gives me a grin and a dimple shows up on his right cheek. I feel my heartbeat speed up at the sight. Jeez, why do all the men in my life have to be good looking? Vinnie pops to my head, and I shudder. Okay, so not all of the men I come into contact with are good looking. Quinn raises an eyebrow at me, but I just smile unwilling to explain my train of thought.

"Alright, see you tomorrow partner," he says, and I salute him. I shut the door and head to my car. Sadly, he waits for me to get in my car before leaving. I sigh as I try the door. Like I thought, the door doesn't open. I look over at Quinn's car and can tell he's watching me from the rear view mirror. I smile sheepishly and do a little finger wave before heading to the passenger side. I open the door and shimmy my way over to the driver's seat. I look up and can see Quinn laughing from his car. I just flip him the bird and start my car. At least the door is the only problem this one has.

I get home and am surprised to find a spot right by the front of my building. I pump my fist in victory. Yay me! Maybe deciding to turn my life around has helped with my parking karma as well. I'm not even upset as I get out from the passenger side. I have a spring in my step as I take the stairs up to my apartment. I unlock my door and hurry to give Rex some food. I feel bad about being gone a whole day and a half. I throw in two hamster nuggets and a grape. I know he usually eats rather slow so he should be happy for a while. He blinks his eyes and twitches his whiskers at me.

"You won't believe what's happened to me!" I exclaim grabbing my FBI badge from my purse. I lay it on the counter as I un-holster my gun. I put my gun and badge in the cookie jar. I grab my cell and make a call to Pino's for a meatball sub. It'll be here in thirty minutes. I head to the bedroom and strip out of my clothes. I take a quick shower and pull on sweats and an oversized t-shirt. I go back to the kitchen and grab the Bianchi file from my purse. It's a little thicker now with my notes and with the information from Quinn. I realize I never looked into a possible 'Juliet.' I scribble down a note to make sure I look into it. Maybe I'll visit Alexander Ramos tomorrow. I feel like he'll have some info on what he thinks of the family.

A knock on my door brings me out of my musings. I smile thinking about the meatball sub I'm about to consume. I grab my wallet, head to the door, and check the peephole. I frown a bit to see Joe on the other side. He holds up the Pino's bag to the hole. I sigh and unlock the door. He gives me his best grin and his eyes darken as he looks me over. I roll my eyes.

"Joe, I wasn't expecting you," I say, trying to keep my voice neutral. He's not exactly the person I want to see after he stormed out of here the other day.

"I was in Pino's when they got the call. I told them I'd pay for it and deliver to you," he replies with a smile, "I wanted to check on you and apologize for the other day."

I decide to let him in. He seems sincere. Maybe I can get some information from him while he's here. We head further inside the apartment. I turn on the TV to a baseball game, Yankees versus the Oakland A's. Not too exciting, but it will do. I close the Mahoney file and push it aside. Joe goes farther in the kitchen, grabbing some beers. I head to the couch. He returns with the food and the subs. I take a swig as he hands me the sub.

"What was up with you yesterday? Your car was parked on the street all night," Joe comments before grabbing his own sandwich out of the bag.

"I was just busy with work yesterday," I say before taking a big bite. I can't help but moan in appreciation. Meatball subs are heaven. "How have you been?" Joe looks a bit pained while he chews. I heard Terri kicked him to the curb after hearing that he wanted to get back with me.

"Good. Same ol' same ol'. Lots of murders," he responds, "I've been pulling a lot of overtime. This is the first night in weeks I haven't been called in." My spidey-sense tingles. Maybe this string of murders has something to do with my FTA.

"Oh really?" I say casually, trying to figure out how to keep him talking. Joe has never been fond of my job and even though we're not together, I don't see him changing his views.

"Yeah, lots of deaths. Mostly drug related. Heroin. Some cocaine. But it's strange because it's not overdoses, but they're druggies," he informs me, his eyes on the game. Hmm…someone is killing off Mahoney's clientele.

"Drug-related but not overdoses?" I question as I take another bite of my sub. I close my eyes as my mouth bursts with the delicious flavor. I moan again. It's been a couple days since I had one of these.

"Damn Cupcake," Joe grunts looking at me with almost completely black eyes. I gulp, my eyes meeting his. Normally, I'd feel inclined to follow up on those bedroom eyes, but the image of naked Terri is burned into my retinas.

"So, the deaths?" I probe taking another drink of beer. Joe nods polishing off the rest of his sub.

"All died from gunshot wounds. And not just any guns. Unmarked ones. Each time left discarded and with prints wiped off. They all come from Ramos though, but we don't have the evidence to prove it." My spidey-sense continues buzzing. Something is definitely going down between the Ramos' and Mahoney's. I guess I need to figure out what. I decide not to push any farther. I don't want Joe to clam up or become suspicious from my curiosity.

We finish watching the game together. It's surprisingly nice to just spend time with him. During a commercial, he looks over to me as the beer dangles from his hand. He runs his free hand through the back of his hair.

"Look Cupcake, I'm sorry for the other day. I shouldn't have yelled and stormed off like I did. I think it's just the stress of this case and knowing you're serious about us being finished," he says in a rueful voice. "It's been six months. I'm sorry it took me so long to realize we're really done. I think we're better as friends." He smiles at me with those chocolate brown eyes.

"Thanks, Joe. I'm glad you agree," I say with a smile as I pat his hand. We look back to the game.

Finally, the game ends (Yankee's win) and I walk Joe to the door. I open it and he lingers in the doorway. He turns, placing his hand on one side of the doorway.

"Listen to Cupcake, this was nice," he says smiling, "maybe we can do it again sometime." I nod.

"Goodnight Joe." He puts two fingers to his forehead and does a little salute. He walks down the hall. I close the door and lock it. I shake my head. I'm glad he's finally realized that we're good as friends and nothing more. I clean up the apartment a little. I turn off the TV, tap Rex's glass to say goodnight and then I turn the lights off.

The next morning, I wake to the ringing of my cell phone. I groan and roll over. I answer it without looking at who's calling.

"Hello?" I mumble into the phone as I squeeze my eyes shut. Maybe I'll roll back to sleep after this.

"Good morning Sunshine," the enthusiastic voice of my partner seems to shout through the phone. I make a groaning noise.

"I hate you," I moan as I bend my elbow and put my arm over my eyes. He chuckles.

"That's no way to talk to your partner," he replies, "I'll bet you'll hate me less if you go answer your door." I uncover my eyes and glare into my empty room. He cannot be serious.

"Go away!" I shout and end the call. I hear knocking on my door. I sigh and throw my covers off of me. I swing my legs out of bed and pad to the front door. I squint through the peephole to see him smiling at me. I roll my eyes and unlock the door. I open the door to Quinn holding a cup of coffee out to me. The white pastry bag in his other hand catches my attention.

"Donuts?" I ask as we head towards the kitchen counter. He grins and sets the bag down carefully while grabbing his cup of coffee with his other hand. I don't know how he brought all that up without spilling anything.

"I figured you deserved some, but don't think this means you're getting out of running," he says with his one dimple smile. I can't help but smile back as I open the bag. Mmm... Boston Cream. I grab one and quickly inhale it. I take a sip of my coffee and sigh as the rush of sugar and caffeine hit my system. Quinn chuckles.

"Wow," he utters shaking his head in awe. I narrow my eyes at him but he just grabs a donut for himself.

"I was thinking we should go talk to Alexander Ramos today," I say leaning with my back against the counter and taking another sip of my coffee. He quirks an eyebrow at me with his mouth full of a bite of donut. Some raspberry filling has dripped out of his mouth. He quickly swallows and his tongue darts out and cleans it. I see he likes donuts just as much as I do. He takes a swallow of coffee.

"The Ramos', why?" he questions looking a little confused. I shoot him a smile.

"Let me get dressed, and I'll fill you in on the way," I tell him as I set my coffee down. I head to my bedroom where I put on a pair of jeans and a red top. I finish up with a pair of black Nikes in case we need to do any running. I go to the bathroom and put on some makeup with a few extra swipes of mascara. I deem myself ready and meet Quinn back in the kitchen. I holster up, stuff the file in my purse, and grab my coffee.

"Alright sweetheart, start talking," he says as we walk down the stairs. I grin at him

"So Joe stopped by last night and mentioned this case he's working on," I explain, "he's been dealing with a lot of murders and guess who- customers of the Bianchi's. But did they die from drugs? Nope, from unmarked guns." Quinn cuts his eyes over to me as he unlocks his car. I head to the passenger side.

"So you think Ramos will actually tell you something?" he questions as he slides behind the wheel. We buckle up and he starts the engine.

"He likes me pretty well, but I think knowing what he thinks about his rival could help," I respond as I pull out the file, "I forgot the other day, but there was one thing on Ian's calendar. He had written Juliet at 2:30 for next Wednesday."

"Juliet?" he asks sounding more confused than I feel. I shrug and mumble an "I don't know."

"Well that's something we'll definitely need to find out," he replies with a glance in my direction.

"Yes definitely. I haven't found anyone named Juliet who is associated with the Bianchi's," I explain before finishing off the last of my coffee. I glance back at my notes again when my phone starts ringing. I look down and see it's my house calling. I sigh, wondering if I'm ready to talk with my mother again. I decide to bite the bullet and I answer.

"Hello?" I say as my eyes roll to the sky. I'm hoping it won't be anything serious.

"Baby granddaughter," the voice of Grandma Mazur shouts through the phone. I feel instantly relieved that I don't have to talk to my mother. A smile breaks out on my face.

"Boy, do I have some news for you," she exclaims happily, "can you stop by for lunch? Sally Sweet's gonna be here too. He said he'd help me find an outfit for my hot date tonight."

"Sure Grandma, you don't want to tell me anything now?" I ask and I see Quinn looking at me as we pull up in front of the Ramos compound. He parks as I wait for Grandma.

"Well, I went out with Nicolas the other night and boy, he did not have good things to say about Ian," she explains, "but I'll tell you the juicy gossip when you come by later."

"Okay, sounds good, thanks Grandma," I reply. I hang up and look over at Quinn. Even though I didn't want my Grandma going out with a Bianchi it sounds like it could be helpful. She already found out information and it's only been a few days.

"Well my grandma has some info on the Bianchi's," I inform him with a grin.

"Your grandma?" he asks incredulously, "how?" I shoot him a mischievous smile and shrug.

"I've got connections, but word is that the Bianchi's aren't a happy little family," I say, "and based on the mother's death, they never have been."

"Yeah, I actually dug up the records from the local PD who used her as an informant," Quinn lets me know, "we can look at those sometime."

"Sounds good. Alright, so I've met Alexander before. I say follow my lead," I say to Quinn, hoping he won't mind taking a backseat to me. I know we're partners so I don't want him to feel like he's not as important.

"Fine by me. What about if he asks who I am?" he questions smartly. I think for a minute about how to approach this. We definitely don't want people to know we're Feds. I smile at the thought. I am a Federal Agent. Wow, that could take some getting used to.

"I'll say I'm training you to become a new bounty hunter," I say coming up with the idea right then and there. He nods in agreement before we're both distracted by the long shadow covering the car. A scary looking man bends down and taps the window. I peek around Quinn and do a little finger wave at the man. I open my door and step out.

"Hi there," I say with a smile as I try to seem non-threatening. I'm sure it's not that difficult to seem non-threatening since I'm just a little white girl from the Burg. I can see the man scan my body though and his eyes linger on the holster and gun. The man I'm looking at is tall, but not as tall as Quinn. He's got muscles on top of muscles and is wearing all mostly black. He's definitely Italian and has a small gold necklace with a crucifix on the end. Quinn chooses now to step out of the car and the man's eyes move quickly to him.

"What are you two doing here?" he questions gruffly, "this is private property." I smile again and Quinn just stays silent.

"Well technically, we're in the street which is public," I mention and then wonder why I would do that. The man crosses his arms and glares.

"But, anyways, we were hoping to speak with Alexander Ramos," I quickly say. He looks us up and down.

"My name is Stephanie Plum," I continue since he hasn't said anything, "Alexander and I are…um…friends." I see the flicker of recognition in his eyes.

"Ah, Ms. Plum, welcome," he says with a grin, "Alexander speaks highly of you. Please, come, come."

Wow, was not expecting this treatment, but hey I'll take what I can get. Quinn looks at me with eyebrows raised as though he can't believe I'm so chummy with an arms dealer. I just send him an innocent smile. Ever since the fiasco with Homer a few years ago, I know they've been more low key after getting an acquittal on all charges. They shipped Homer off somewhere so he couldn't do any more damage to their operations. We follow muscles up to the house. We head inside and find the house relatively empty except for Alexander sitting at a table by the window. I can see the ocean from the window. Alexander looks up when he hears the footsteps. He seems confused for a moment before he sees me. Then his entire face lights up and he stands from the table. I see he has been rolling his own cigarettes.

"Stephanie, my dear!" he exclaims as he comes to give me a hug, "what a surprise!" I smile. Alexander definitely looks older, but I can see the same man behind the extra wrinkles.

"Alexander, you're looking well," I reply and I turn towards Quinn, "this is Quinn. I'm helping show him the ropes to bounty hunting." Alexander's brown eyes go to study Quinn, and he looks him up and down. He frowns a bit.

"I see you found yourself a younger man," he sniffs, grabbing my hand and giving it a kiss, "but he can never give you everything I can." Quinn raises an eyebrow and looks slightly insulted. I laugh.

"No Alexander, really, we're just partners," I reply. He nods.

"Very well, the offer still stands should you take it," he says going back to sit at his table. He motions for us to do the same.

"The reason we're here is that we are looking for Ian Bianchi," I say while he's busy rolling a cigarette. As soon as Bianchi is off my lips his eyes flash towards mine and an angry expression crosses his face.

"Those Bianchi bastards," he spits, pushing back from the table and standing, "worthless scum." I see Quinn's hand go to the gun on his holster, but I put a hand on his arm. His blue eyes are stormy again, but not with anger- he's actually worried about Alexander.

"What can you tell us about them?" I question as he coughs after his little show of anger. I'd say Alexander is in his late 60s with a head full of silvery gray hair. He's got the natural olive toned Italian complexion and probably about fifty extra pounds around his waist.

"They're dirty," he says looking me straight in the eyes. I nod for him to continue.

"We tried scaring them off. This is our turf, after all, and we deal with guns. Not drugs. Drugs are bad for the community," he explains and then shivers, "and something is just not right with that young boy. There are whisperings…you know…they say he killed his own mother." Well, I had thought so based on the report and knowing his mother was a CI. I see Quinn's interest is peaked at that information.

"Do you know why he would kill her?" I ask, wondering if it's common knowledge that she was working against her own family. He shrugs and licks the edge of the cigarette between his hands.

"Nothing solid, just that he's a very disturbed boy," he continues, "I caught him once sniffing around my granddaughter…I would kill him myself if he came around her again." Yikes. I see Quinn give me a look. I guess as FBI we should heavily frown upon those sorts of things.

"Your granddaughter?" I ask a little confused, "I thought Ian was seeing Sarah Shupp?" Alexander pulls out a lighter and lights his hand-rolled cigarette.

"Ah, but he's a young Italian boy," Alexander comments as though that explains everything, "but his relationship was another reason I wanted him away from my sweet Alexandrita." This time I'm the one who looks over at Quinn. I guess she's named after her grandfather.

"Do you have any idea where Ian would be?" I ask knowing he probably doesn't really know anything.

"No idea honestly, but I'll keep an ear to the ground," he says taking a long drag of his cigarette. I leave him a piece of paper with my phone number.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about the string of deaths of some druggies, do you?" I say, asking my last question. His eyes meet mine and I can see something inside his brown eyes…something like he knows.

"No, but I can only assume that if enough of them die they might be too scared to buy from certain sellers," he comments without breaking eye contact with me. I nod slowly.

"Okay well thank you so much, Alexander," I reply moving to stand up, "it was nice seeing you again." I don't particularly enjoy seeing him, but my Burg manners kick in.

"Yes Stephanie, it's always a pleasure. Please, don't be a stranger," he says with a wink as he grabs my hand and presses a kiss on the back of my hand. I smile. He turns to Quinn.

"And you," he says, "watch out for my girl here." Quinn shakes his hand and nods. We leave the house and Alexander moves to the front porch to watch our departure. Quinn starts the car and we take off quickly.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: So sorry I did not post last week on my usual schedule. Work and my 1 hour commute have been leaving me very tired when I get home. This is also the last pre-written chapter I have, so updates may come every two weeks instead of every week now. I promise, I will continue until it sees an end. Please let me know what you think...and Batman should be reappearing in a chapter or two. Enjoy!

* * *

Dude (Looks like a Lady) by Aerosmith

" _What a funky lady  
Oh, she like it, like it, like it, like it  
Oh, he was a lady_

 _Dude looks like a lady  
Dude looks like a lady"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 11:** O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

Steph's POV

I can feel Quinn swiveling his head to keep looking at me. Well, we learned a little more about the Bianchi's from Alexander, but not much. Although, we know who's responsible for killing off drug users.

"Seriously?" Quinn finally asks, "how are you buddy buddy with that guy?" I do a half shrug.

"To my parent's house," I remind him before taking a breath as I gather my thoughts to explain.

"I met Alexander while I was helping to clear uh…another bounty hunter's name. He was wanted for killing Homer Ramos," I start explaining, "I was staking out the place, cruising by when Alexander ran out of the house and jumped in my car. I ended up driving him around a few times for smokes, and he liked me. I guess his kids don't care about his health anymore though." Quinn looks thoughtful for a moment and then looks over at me while we're stopped at a traffic light.

"The other bounty hunter," he starts and I can feel my heart rate increase, "was it Ranger Mañoso?" I gulp. I wonder what Quinn knows about him…about us. Sheesh. What us? He was my mentor and friend…nothing more. The ache in my chest tells me he was a whole lot more. Instead of saying anything I just nod my head. The light turns green and Quinn goes, but I can feel him staring.

"You two are…close?" he asks uncertainly. I swivel my head over to study him. Is he just pretending not to know much about him? Maybe he wasn't able to get to Ranger or Ranger didn't say anything…but still, this town loves its gossip.

"Uh…well…I guess as close as anyone can be to Ranger," I reply knowing that's a pretty accurate description. He always keeps everyone at arm's length. I'm lucky I got to see more of him than others. I see Quinn still look at me curiously but he drops his line of questioning.

Before we know it, we're in front of my parent's duplex. Quinn shuts off the car but pauses instead of opening his door. He looks over at me, and I'm caught up in his eyes. I can tell his interest is peaked, and it's as though he knows it's a sensitive topic for me.

"I'm here if you ever want to talk about it. I'll admit, I don't know much, I only know what the gossipers say," he says grabbing my hand to reassure me, "I'd like to hear your side too." I nod and swallow hard. I've been trying hard to push him from my mind and from my heart, but it's so hard. We exit the car and head up the walk. My mother and grandmother are waiting on the porch by the time we get to the door.

"Stephanie, what a surprise," my mother greets, "and who is this handsome young man?" I try hard not to roll my eyes at my mother clearly trying to charm who she thinks could be a potential boyfriend. Quinn grins, and I see both my mom and grandma suck in a breath.

"Ooh boy," Grandma mutters, "Stephanie sure knows how to pick 'em. You gotta find me a young hottie with a nice package." I see my mother blanch.

"Mother!" she shrieks, horrified. Honestly, this is normal, I'm not even fazed. Quinn looks at me from the corner of his eye, and I shrug.

"This is my partner Quinn. He's new to bounty hunting so I'm just showing him the ropes," I inform my family as we start heading inside. I see Quinn visibly flinch and he moves closer to me. Whoops. Grandma must have gotten a pinch in. She cackles gleefully.

"Man, I haven't felt a tushy that tight since Stephie brought home one of those good-looking RangeMen," Grandma comments as we head to the kitchen. I see my mother do the sign of the cross.

"Grandma!" I exclaim, feeling bad for Quinn, "Quinn is my partner, please try and keep your hands to yourself." She exhales loudly and I see my mother discreetly pour some Jim Beam into her glass.

"Fine," she mutters, "I got me a looker anyways." I see Quinn relax slightly as she agrees to behave. I see my mother take a big gulp of her drink and then start preparing some sandwiches.

"Speaking of your man, Grandma," I begin, hoping she'll tell us what she knows, "how is Nicolas?" Quinn's head swivels to mine. I guess I forgot to mention that my grandma is dating the head of the Bianchi family. Quinn and I take a seat at the counter, I sit between him and my Grandma.

"Nicolas, is such a gentleman," she reveals taking a sip of coffee, "but boy, does he know how to use his tool in the bedroom!" I groan as I try not to picture that. I see Quinn's eyebrows raise marginally. I guess he's not used to horny old ladies. I don't blame him, but I grew immune to Grandma Mazur long ago.

"Quinn, can I get you something to drink?" my mother asks diverting his attention from Grandma, "how does your girlfriend feel about you doing such a dangerous job?" I choke on air and turn it into a cough. Jeez, I know my mom wants me married, but she's being a little too nosy with my partner. Quinn glances over at me but smiles at my mother.

"Well, Mrs. Plum, water would be nice," he says, "and I don't have a girlfriend at the moment, but my mom sure wants me to settle down." I see my mother's eyes light up.

"Parents just want the best for their children," she states innocently enough, "I've been trying to get Stephanie to settle down as well." Ugh, I can see the setup already. I turn my attention back to Grandma.

"So, you said you have some things to tell me about the Bianchi's?" I question as I feel my eye start to twitch. I place a finger on it. Being home for any period of time can really get to me. Grandma nods and slides her dentures around in her mouth.

"Nicolas is not fond of his grandson," she says sourly, "he thinks his own grandson murdered his daughter. He tried kicking him out of the family, but his son-in-law wouldn't allow it." Well, now we know for sure Ian killed his mother. It's not just gossip otherwise his own family wouldn't believe it. I nod and we're all distracted by the sound of a large truck pulling up outside. We go to the living room and look out the window. It's not a truck, but a big school bus outside. Sally Sweet has arrived.

The school bus doors open and Sally steps down. He's over six feet tall, has scruff covering his jaw and lip, but it's the rest of his appearance that really catches the attention. He's wearing a silver top with itty bitty straps and it hangs loosely on his skinny frame (he has no boobs to fill it out properly), and then he's wearing skin-tight black leather pants that look painted on. He tops off the appearance with some sparkling silver FMPs. He looks glamorous as always. In his right hand is a big duffle bag and in the other, it looks like he's carrying a small makeup container. I met Sally Sweet a few years ago when he was one of my FTAs. We became pretty good friends. Lula joined his band at one point and so did my Grandma. I went to see every show even though my eardrums weren't appreciative. Last year, he saved my life by gunning down a bunch of gang members who were about to do some horrible things to me. He sees us on the porch staring so he flashes us a grin.

"Stephanie! Nice to see you," Sally greets and then his eyes go to Quinn. "And who's this stud you have with you?" I chuckle.

"My partner Quinn," I respond, "he's new to being a bounty hunter." Sally squints at him and his brow furrows.

"Hey dude, you remind me of this reporter I met last year…" Sally says tapping his chin with a well-manicured polished red nail. I look at Quinn and he shifts his weight from foot to foot. Hmm…I have a feeling he was that reporter. Quinn shrugs and Sally can't seem to place him so we just head inside. We head to the living room, and I can see how excited Grandma Mazur is.

"Boy, this sure is a pip! I've never had a professional doll me up before," she says with excitement. I see my mom drink some more from her glass. Sally lugs in the bags and puts them on the floor.

"I thought about this pretty hard," he said with a grin, "I'm thinking we can do a Betty White red carpet look." I see Grandma think about that.

"I don't know…" she says, "Betty White is... old." I cover my mouth with my hand to stop myself from laughing. I see Quinn glance at me as he tries to suppress a smirk.

"Don't worry! We'll make it look hip," Sally assures her, "Plus we can do some of her looks from when she was younger." Grandma shrugs.

"If you say so." Sally starts opening the bags and directing Grandma on what to do. Mom wanders back into the kitchen to either pour more to drink or work on lunch.

"So Steph, your Granny tells me you're after Ian Bianchi," Sally says, holding up several different options for Grandma. She hasn't found one she likes yet.

"Yeah, I am," I reply as Quinn and I sit down, "you didn't know him, did you?" Sally chuckles.

"Nah, not really. A friend of a friend said he's not the nicest guy though," Sally replies pulling out a white outfit. I see Grandma's eyes light up at it.

"Nicolas wanted to ban Ian from the family, but his daughter forbade it and once she did he didn't want to go against her wishes," Grandma tells us. Interesting.

"We're just trying to get as much info as we can on them," I say looking over at Quinn who seems to be studying the carpet. I see Sally nod and Grandma as well.

"I gotta tell ya, Stephie, I sure am really enjoying spending time with Nicolas," Grandma says as Sally sits her down and opens his makeup bag. "I told Anna about it and she's ok with it on account of we're helping find out what happened to Sarah."

"Well I'm glad, Grandma," I reply thinking I haven't seen her so happy in a long time. I may even have good news to tell her worried friend. Depends on if the credit card activity pans out or not. "Just be careful. The family is still dangerous." She pats her leg near where she would have a pocket.

"That's what ole Bessie is for," she says with a smirk. I sigh and feel my eye twitch. I decide not to comment even though I'm sure she's talking about a gun. Quinn's gaze finds mine and I can hear his unasked question. I just shrug.

"The only lead right now is that Ian is supposed to have a meeting with someone named Juliet next week," I say feeling like we're out to do the impossible. Sally's head perks up.

"You know I just watched Romeo and Juliet the other night," he says as he fluffs Grandma's curls, "such a sad movie! They were both parts of two rival families but they fell in love." I sigh, I've seen the movie and it's not one of my favorites. It also isn't going to help with finding Ian although something niggles in the back of my mind.

"That Leonardo DiCaprio sure is a looker," Grandma sighs wistfully, "I loved him in Titanic." I nod. I'm not the biggest sappy movie watcher, but I did enjoy the Titanic. There was definitely space for Jack on that piece of wood though-he so did not have to die. Sally continues working on Grandma's makeup. She looks radiant and it's not over the top. Mom comes into the room.

"Lunch is ready," she announces before taking another drink from her cup. Jeez, she's really drinking a lot more than she used to. Quinn and I stand and head towards the kitchen with Sally and Grandma coming close behind us.

We all sit at the table and dig into the sandwiches and potato salad my mom prepared. A simple lunch.

"Stephanie, what are you doing tonight?" Sally questions, "Like we should get the girls together and go out!" I look up at Sally.

"Hmm," I say looking over at Quinn. His interest seems peaked but he's not saying anything.

"C'mon, you seem more down than normal," Sally comments, "It'd be good for you to have some fun and let loose. Your partner can come too. I'll call Lula and set it up." Sally has his phone out before I can protest. Quinn chooses to speak up at this moment.

"I agree. I think it would be good for you," Quinn replies, "I know you're stressed with this case and training me." I roll my eyes. I guess he's right. I'm also still heartbroken over he who must not be named. I see Sally chatting animatedly with Lula. I guess we're going out tonight. My own cell phone starts ringing in my pocket. I pull it out and hear the ringtone, "I'm too Sexy" and realize it's Lester calling. I can't help but smile. He must have changed my ringtone without me realizing it.

"Yo," I greet with a smile and I see my mother's hawk eyes land on mine. Her eyes narrow and I know she's silently reprimanding me for not using proper phone etiquette. I just smile.

"Beautiful!" Les greets enthusiastically, "I hear we're going out tonight!" I feel my eyebrows raise in surprise. How does he know already? Sheesh, gossip around here works fast.

"How did you know? I barely knew a minute ago," I reply knowing that somehow Lula told Tank.

"Tank just sent out a text," he says, "I'm excited! I haven't seen you in a while. Also, you better come visit today because word has it you've been cozying up to a G-man." My eyes widen and I look around to see if anyone has heard. I'm just being paranoid.

"Les!" I hiss, realizing that will probably bring more attention to myself.

"We're eating lunch now, be there in 20." I hear Les cackle gleefully.

"Better be or I'll track your cute little butt down," he threatens, "and there's nothing Ranger could do to stop me." I feel a pang as he mentions his boss. He hangs up without a goodbye, and I shake my head. Why do these guys never use proper phone manners? I see Quinn looking at me with a face that asks what the hell was that phone call.

I make excuses for us and we head out. Sally says if he doesn't hear from me later he'll drag me out of the apartment. I guess it's good I have friends who care and can tell I haven't been quite myself lately.

"So who called?" Quinn asks as he gets behind the wheel of his car.

"My friend Lester," I reply, "I take it you know how to get to RangeMan?" I look over at him and he gives me a nod. Jeez, it's a little unsettling when I realize that Quinn knows so much about everything in my life.

"I'm looking forward to going out and seeing you with all of your friends," Quinn states as he turns onto Hamilton Township and continues towards RangeMan. I nod.

"Hopefully it will be fun," I state in a monotone voice. Honestly, I'm a bit nervous. "And Les knows I've been hanging around the FBI." Quinn raises his eyebrow as he throws a glance in my direction.

"How? We shouldn't tell anybody for a while," he replies looking a little worried.

"They keep trackers on me and noticed I was at the FBI building," I reply, "Don't worry, they're good at keeping secrets." He nods.


	12. Chapter 12

AN: Sorry for the wait! I hope you think it is worth it. I've had writers block or just lack of energy lately. I'm hoping to have more regular updates again but we will see if RL cooperates. Bachata is a seriously sensual dance but is super fun! They have tons of videos on youtube if you're interested. :) Please, let me know what you think! I appreciate each and every review.

* * *

Sigo Extrañándote by J Balvin

 _"Entiende que yo sigo extrañándote_  
 _A cada instante_  
 _En todo momento…_

 _Y te quiero ver yeah_  
 _Para resolver yeah_  
 _Dime en donde por favor responde"_

Defining Moments  


 **Chapter 12: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun**

Steph's POV

"Why do you seem so nervous?" I ask Quinn as we head up the elevator in RangeMan. He glances over at me.

"I didn't get the warmest welcoming the last time I was here," he responds, not offering any more details. I can only guess it was when he was doing interviews about me. I guess it's nice to know my friends at RangeMan didn't tell him diddly squat. The elevator comes to a stop on the fifth floor. I'm a little shocked to see the big behemoth of a man standing in front of the elevator with a shit eating grin. Before I can even ask, he gathers me in his arms and swings me around.

"Congrats, Little Girl," he booms before whispering, "I'm proud of you." My heart swells, and I can feel tears threatening to fall. I realize Tank must have had something to do with the whole FBI thing, and it leaves me with an unfamiliar feeling. I try to stop the tears from leaking out but a few stray ones do. Tank sets me down gently and Les is next in line. Instead of his cocky playboy grin, he's wearing a genuine smile that tells me how happy and proud he is of me. I don't even question how they found out.

"No one else knows," Tank says with a shit-eating grin, "but I had to tell Les." I smile, not mad at all. I'm sure Lester forced it out of him. Although I wonder if…

"No, he has no idea," Tank states, "and won't until you tell him." Damn ESP, but hey he answered my unasked question. It makes me kind of glad that Ranger doesn't know but... sad at the same time.

"Yeah Beautiful," Les grins, "he's gonna shit a brick!" I can't help but laugh at this. I turn to my partner who is standing to the side looking more than just a little uncomfortable.

"Guys, this is Quinn," I say with a smile, "officially he's a new bounty hunter and I'm helping him…unofficially well he's my partner!" I grin. Quinn shuffles his feet and reaches a hand out to say hello.

"Tank," Tank says gruffly although I see a twinkle in his eye as he grabs Quinn's hand. Les just does a quick one.

"Lester Santos," Les informs Quinn, looking him up and down, "If anything happens to our girl, you're the first one we'll come for." I roll my eyes at the dramatics.

"Boys, please," I butt in, "I'll be fine. And we must be going." I see Les waggle his eyebrows suggestively.

"Better save a few dances for me tonight, Beautiful," Les says with his green eyes twinkling. I smile back and my heart swells knowing I have friends no matter the situation with Ranger.

"Of course! Be ready!" I say with a wink and a laugh. I drag Quinn back into the elevator and head out to get ready for tonight.

"What was with the shy guy act?" I question, my arms folding over my chest. Quinn looks sheepish, if not a bit uncomfortable.

"The last time I came here was a bit…intimidating..." Quinn admits and I can tell it's not easy for him to say, "and then seeing Tank…I've talked to him on the phone, but I never knew who he was." I nod, as it makes sense. Wow, who knew tough FBI guys could get scared. I'll have to tuck that tidbit away for future use if he ever steps out of line. Knowing I have a bunch of badass Merry Men who would step up if something happened to me makes me feel even more loved. I just hope Quinn never does anything that would require that to happen.

xxx

I'm just finishing up the last touches of my makeup when I hear the knock on my door. After my initial rebuttal at going out, I actually feel excited about it. I think knowing I have support from Tank and Lester, plus all the girls really put a spring in my step. I'm realizing that I can be happy without Ranger. Tonight I'm wearing a short red wrap dress that has one strap that goes over my left shoulder. I have some cute, strappy black FMPs on my feet. I finish up the mascara on my smokey eye look before I head to the door. I look pretty good if I do say so myself. I look through the peephole to see Quinn. I swing the door open and grin. He's looking good in a painted on blue v-neck t-shirt, dark wash jeans, and brown casual yet dressy shoes. We smile at each other after our mutual look over.

"Wow, you clean up nice!" Quinn says with an elbow nudge. I roll my eyes.

"You dress down nicely," I comment, thinking of his suit wardrobe. He grins and I turn to go get my purse and swipe on some red lipstick to match my outfit.

"I'm almost ready," I say, "just give me a second!" I swipe on some red lipstick, put it in my little purse and head out. I tap Rex's cage and drop a carrot in.

"Let's hit it!" I say with a smile, "you ready to party Jersey style?" We head out and I lock the door before we get into the elevator.

xxx

Lula had texted me the name of the club earlier. Strangely, it's called Café Citron and it's not a café at all. Lula said it's one of the best clubs if we want a variety of music and good looking men. Who am I to say no to that? Quinn insisted on driving, stating that he doesn't like drinking much anyways. I'm not planning to drink much considering I only need a drink to get buzzed and two or three means lights out normally. Quinn's phone rings and he smiles as he answers.

"Yo Xandy," he greets in a teasing voice, "you here?" I look over with a grin. I have a feeling he invited Xandra, which is great! I can get to know my fellow agents. I do a grin and giggle at the thought. I guess I'm still getting used to being an FBI agent.

"Parking now," he replies, "wait in your car. We'll come to you." He ends the call and looks over to me.

"I figured you wouldn't mind if Xandra joins," he explains, "she's here." We get out of the car and he directs me to a blue Saturn. Xandra is behind the wheel. She grins when she sees us and gets out. She's wearing a tight green dress that has a cutout in the middle showing a good amount of cleavage, but not enough to be untasteful.

"Damn Steph! You look hot!" Xandra exclaims excitedly. I smile as we walk towards the door.

"I can say the same about you! You're about to break some hearts," I reply with a wink.

The club is starting to get busy by the time we get inside. I have to say I do feel like a million bucks in my little red dress and hot FMPs. Maybe I'll find a cute guy while we're here. We've found Mary Lou, Lula, Connie, Sally, and a few Merry Men. I notice Lester and Tank haven't even arrived yet. I do see Bobby from the core team. I introduce him to Quinn and Xandra. The girls seem interested in Xandra as well, but I see the appreciative way Bobby looks at her. Hmm…maybe I could play matchmaker. Hell, if I can't find someone for myself the least I could do is help someone else. I can feel Quinn behind me, and I swear I can feel the nervousness radiating off him. We say hi and Lula grins.

"Go on and get a drink," Lula says as she takes a sip of her piña colada, "we gon' get you drunk!" I roll my eyes at her. She pushes me over to the bar and Quinn tails behind us. Xandra stays chatting with Bobby.

I can barely hear as Lula orders drinks. She shoves a colorful looking drink at me and a beer into Quinn's hand. I take a sip and try not to cringe at the sweetness barely covering the strong alcohol. Oh boy, tonight will be fun. We make it back to the table, and I have to blink because all the Merry Men have materialized. Lester grins when he sees me and throws an arm around my neck.

"Shots for everyone, on me!" Les cries with a fist in the air. I glare. I haven't even finished the drink Lula shoved in my hand. He disappears, and I assume it's to go get the shots. I feel a tingle on my neck and scratch my neck curiously. I turn around searching through the sea of faces to find one I know won't be present. I sigh before taking a big slurp of my drink. I introduce Quinn to some other Merry Men before Lula, Connie and Mary Lou pull me to sit beside them. We immediately start gossiping. They ask me all about Quinn and Xandra, but I don't say much. Just that they knew each other from working together in the past. I gave them the same spiel about Quinn being a new bounty hunter. We all chat and yell over the music. I'm halfway done with my drink, and I already have a buzz going. Lester is back before we know it with shots for everyone. He seems to have an evil glint in his eye. He shoos Lula over and sits down beside me before passing around the tray of shots. His eyes gleam.

"Tequila!" Oh boy. I narrow my eyes at Les and he just grins wider. Tequila makes my mouth run and my clothes come off. Les laughs. I blush as I realize I said it aloud.

"Havana Club has that effect on my cousin," he informs me, and I blink. Did he just tell me that rum makes Ranger spill his guts? Les raises his glass when he sees everyone has one.

"Salud!" I shrug and we all take the shot together. I quickly bite the lime and my eyes squinch shut at the sensations. I shake my head and stick my tongue out. I then take a few gulps of my blue drink. Probably not the best idea but it helped. I sip on my drink some more as I look around at my friends. Sally catches my eye and raises his glass in silent cheers. I finish my drink rather quickly for me and before I know it, Lula has another in my hand. I'm going to regret this in the morning.

By the time I finish my drink I notice Xandra and Bobby dancing on the dance floor, Connie and Quinn, and Lula with Tank. Mary Lou is even dancing with Cal! I sigh and realize I'm the only one left. Other Merry Men have broken off and found girls. I feel the tingle and my hand immediately rubs the back of my neck. I shake my head. Suddenly, he's in front of me and I have to blink my eyes to clear the image of Ranger. Instead, it's Les' bright green eyes and vanilla latte skin standing in front of me with his hand offered. I grin and take it.

"Let's dance, beautiful!" I stand up too quickly and I can feel the alcohol hitting me in a rush. Ooh boy. I smile at Les and stumble a bit behind him. The music changes suddenly and it's a Latin beat. Les grins.

"This is Bachata," he informs me, pulling my body close to his. I can feel the heat radiating off of him. His right hand slides to my low back while his left grips mine in a traditional dancing pose.

"It's basically a four-step, but I tend to think of it as two," he explains, "two to one side, and then two back. Same rhythm and timing. Just follow me." Les moves beautifully with the music. His hips move better than mine, but I'm not terrible. I did take dance lessons as a girl. Our hips are touching as we move seductively in the dance. He starts moving and he does a spin.

"Yes, that's it," he grins at me, his green eyes sparkling. He pulls me back in close after the spin, his leg wedged between my thighs as we continue moving around the dance floor. I'm feeling a bit dizzy, and the alcohol is definitely humming through my veins. I feel a twinge of lust as I feel Les' muscles move as we dance. I let my eyes close as I follow his body across the floor, and I feel heat pool between my legs. The song changes, but the beat remains the same. I hear Les groan a little.

"Damn, Beautiful," he breathes in my ear as our cheeks rest against each other. "You're good at this." I flush at his comment. We continue dancing, and he presses me closer to him. I feel the tingle on the back of my neck go crazy, and I open my eyes to scan the crowd. I don't see him and I shake my head. He looks down at me and my mouth pops open in surprise. I reach my hand up to his face and touch his lip. He lets out a shuddering sigh as he kisses my finger. I can feel the heat pool low in my belly. He leans down and our lips meet in a sensual kiss. Our bodies have completely stopped in the middle of the dance floor. We're plastered together.

"Oh beautiful," he moans, and it's like a bucket of ice water has been thrown over my head. My eyes snap open and I'm staring at Les' glazed green eyes. My eyes widen and I push away from him clumsily. I teeter back on my heels but manage to catch my balance before pivoting and all but running away. I can feel tears falling down my cheeks. I rush to the bathroom and find the first open stall. Oh god. The tears stream down my face. I suddenly feel sober. I kissed Lester. Yet I was thinking of Ranger the whole time. Jeez, I need to get a grip. I'm such a horrible friend. And I'm just as bad as Ranger going with Jeanne Ellen.

I manage to pull myself together and clean up enough to look presentable. I'm at the sink when a girl bumps into me. I look up and she's staring at me with flat brown eyes. Her hair is long and blonde.

"Stop looking into Ian," she utters in a cool voice. "He'll just kill me." Before I can react, she's already out of the bathroom. Still dazed and buzzed, I follow her out, but quickly realize that she's lost in the crowd. I sigh.

"Stephanie!" I look over and see Lester standing against the wall. I walk over feeling extremely guilty.

"Lester," I say, "I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking. I…" He puts a hand up to stop me.

"It's not your fault," he replies, "I helped get you drunk and we were dancing. I'm sorry." I nod and nudge him with my arm.

"So, friends?" I question as I stick out my hand. He grins and shakes it.

xxx

"Bobby is cuuute!" Xandra giggles, leaning against my shoulder as we walk to Quinn's car. I smile, feeling much more sober. I stopped drinking after the Lester incident. Overall, it was definitely a fun night though.

"Did you get his number?" I ask as Quinn opens the back door to his car and helps Xandra in.

"Duh," she replies, "how about you Steph? I saw you and Lester close."

"We're just friends." Xandra drops to sleep as we drive. Quinn parks at the hotel he's staying at and takes her up. He then comes back down to drive me home.

Quinn comes with me to check out my apartment. When it's all clear he looks at me.

"If you ever want to talk, I'm here," he says with a smile, "I hope you had fun tonight." I smile and nod.

"I did. And thanks," I reply before pausing, "I guess…I guess I'm not really over Ranger." I press my lips together after I admit that. I've never been one to express my feelings…let alone say I have feelings for Ranger. Especially not after my heart was ripped out seeing him with Bounty Hunter Barbie. Quinn squeezes my shoulder.

"I'll be back in a few hours." I nod. After he leaves, I head to the bathroom. I take off all my makeup and brush my teeth before slipping into my bed. The sheets are cool and calming against my skin. My eyes are drawn to movement by my window. A scream dies in my throat as I realize Ranger is standing there. My hand goes to my chest where I try to calm my furiously beating heart.

"What the hell Ranger?!" I shriek. He sighs and sits on the side of my bed.

"Babe." Which reads, "You should be more aware of your surroundings, but I didn't mean to scare you."

"How long have you been in here?" I question pulling the sheet up to my chin.

"A while." I nod, wondering if he was here before Quinn left.

"What are you doing here? Are you okay? Is your mission finished?" I question, the words tumbling out of my mouth as soon as I think them. He sighs and runs a hand through his silky hair.

"I missed you." We're both silent as we digest what he admits. I feel my heart beat widely, and I crave his touch. I look down embarrassed and afraid to ask.

"Hold me?" My voice sounds weak, even to me. I'm surprised I even asked and I can't even bear to look at him as I await his answer. I don't even breathe. I feel the bed shift and a thump on the ground before his arms are around me. I melt into his embrace. He lays down and pulls me snug to be his little spoon. His hand slides under my shirt and he rubs small circles on my stomach. I sigh into his touch. Just as I'm drifting off to dreamland I hear him whisper, "I love you."


	13. Chapter 13

AN: Thank you for all of the lovely reviews! I promise I read each one even though I haven't responded. I truly appreciate them. They keep me writing and working. On another note, I saw A Star is Born twice and cried both times. I loved it! I definitely recommend seeing it. I felt this song works well with our favorite couple. Let me know what you think! Next update will come as soon as I have it written.

* * *

Shallow by Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper

 _"Tell me something boy_

 _Aren't you tired tryin' to fill that void?_

 _Or do you need more_

 _Ain't it hard keepin' it so hardcore?"_

Defining Moments  


 **Chapter 13: I Love You**

Steph's POV

I wake up slowly, feeling the ache in my muscles, the dry cotton feeling in my mouth, the sloshing of my stomach and the spinning in my head. I groan, my eyes fluttering and squinting at the sunlight streaming through my window. I roll onto my back and realize I'm alone. Did I just imagine Ranger being here last night? Or did he just leave already? I sigh, putting my arm over my eyes. I feel like complete crap. My phone starts ringing, and I hurry to answer it just so the noise will stop. I have to pause to stop the spinning in my head before I answer.

"Hello?" I ask, my eyes closing again. It was probably a mistake to not see who was calling first.

"Sweetheart, how are you doing this morning?" Quinn's voice questions softly. Maybe it's the aftershock of the alcohol or just the gentle way he asks, but I start crying.

"Quinn…I…Ranger came by," I sob, feeling out of control, "I love him. I don't know what to do." I feel sick to my stomach. I take a few deep breaths to try and calm myself. I'm feeling queasy from admitting this and from all the alcohol. I hear Quinn sigh.

"Look Steph, you are beautiful, smart, and strong. You deserve whatever you want in life," he replies seriously, "and I have some cheesy advice for you. Every woman has exactly the love life she wants. I heard that in a movie and completely agree. Stephanie, I haven't known you long, but I know you are strong and I can tell you're scared. Ranger can't read your mind and you'll forever be in limbo if you don't come clean. You decide how you get treated and when to take control of your life." I take in a breath, calming myself some more. I nod and then regret it especially since Quinn can't even see me. I can't believe we've become so close so quickly. I barely tell anyone how I'm feeling, let alone someone I met two weeks ago. Maybe knowing he has an objective perspective helps.

"You're right. I need to talk to him and find out once and for all," I say, feeling resolved, "if only I knew where to find him. Quinn…I'm sorry you have such a mess for a partner. I promise I won't let you down."

"Sweetheart, you're human and it's normal to have emotions," he replies, "plus alcohol never helps in those situations. I don't blame you, and I have faith that we'll finish this case sooner than you think." I sigh and I feel so grateful that I have such an understanding partner. I hate knowing that I let Ranger have such a big control over me, but I realize it's only because I never confronted him before. It's better to be rejected outright by Ranger than to keep whatever we have going.

My eyes widen as I realize I totally forgot about the blonde girl who approached me in the bathroom. I groan and smack my forehead. I close my eyes and concentrate on the memory. Her worry triggers something, and I remember Sally's comments about Romeo and Juliet.

"Quinn, I think I ran into Sarah Shupp last night," I say pausing, "and I think Ian and Alexandra Ramos are seeing each other secretly." I hear a whistle.

"Damn sweetheart, maybe you should drink more often," he says with a chuckle and I hear my front door open. I feel my heart beat speed up and I feel nervous knowing it's probably Ranger.

"I…uh…I have to go," I squeak as my neck tingles, "Ranger's here."

"Good luck," he replies, "you've got the support of all of your friends behind you." The bedroom door opens and I gulp.

"Okay, bye, see you later." I hear him chuckle before I close the phone. Ranger stands in the doorway half in shadow and my heart thunders in my chest. His dark eyes look me over intently.

"Babe," he states with a small uptick to his mouth, "I brought you the cure." I nod, my mouth suddenly feeling dry. I get out of bed slowly. I almost teeter over as I head to the bathroom, but Ranger puts a hand on my arm to steady me. A jolt of electricity goes through me at his touch. Our eyes lock and I know he felt it too. He looks so calm. I wish I felt that way.

"Easy." I nod.

"Meet you in the kitchen," I reply as I right myself and go into the bathroom. I brush my teeth and splash some water on my face. My stomach is not feeling too good but I think some greasy fries and a bubbly soda will help. My head is still spinning a little but a Tylenol should help with that.

I see Ranger standing in the kitchen, leaning against the counter facing me. He looks so serious and I feel butterflies in my stomach at what is about to happen. My eyes lock on the bag of fries and the large coke sitting on the counter. He remembered and cared enough to know I'd be feeling like crap today. Before I can even think about addressing him, I find the Tylenol and pop one using the Coke to wash it down. The bubbles feel good as they hit my stomach. I then reach in the bag and grab a few fries. I can't help but moan a little as the golden crispy potatoes hit my tongue. I already feel a little better. I hear an amused chuckle from Ranger. I look up with a blush creeping on my face from everything that transpired yesterday.

"So, you finished your mission already?" I ask before taking another drink of soda. My stomach has already settled considerably. I eat a few more fries as he frowns ever so slightly.

"No, not yet." His dark brown eyes stare into mine and I feel my heartbeat increase. He's not done with his mission and yet…he's here.

"So…so…you just came to see me then?" I question, unsure if I can believe that. The corner of his mouth tips up slightly. I see him hesitate.

"Like I said…I missed you." I choke a little on the Coke I was drinking. It turns into big coughs and I splutter. God, how embarrassing. My face is definitely two shades darker. I guess I'm just so surprised he admitted it. After recovering, I take a deep breath.

"Ranger, I need to tell you something," I say, not able to meet his eyes. I can't face him if I'm about to get my heart shattered all over again. I just need to get it over with so I can move on with my life once and for all. He doesn't move or make a sound and I'm grateful for that.

"I'm in love with you," I blurt out, darting my eyes up to his face before continuing, "and I have been for a while. I can't keep doing this back and forth. Either we're together or we stop all the flirting. I can't take it anymore, but I don't want to lose our friendship. I don't need a traditional relationship-hell I've never been traditional. I just need someone faithful and who understands I may never make dinner. And if you want a relationship, but not with me, I just need to know." I stop and take a deep breath before looking up to see him. I feel a pang of disappointment as I see his blank face.

"Babe, I love you," he says, his facing softening ever so slightly. I can tell he's about to say more and probably a qualifier like all of the times he's done before, but his phone starts ringing.

"Shit," he exclaims softly, "I have to get this." He answers the phone and barely says a word. He closes it and looks up at me with his smoldering brown eyes. They've turned into chocolate pools. He takes two steps and gathers me in his arms before kissing me like it's the last time. My arms go up and wrap around his back and his hand tangles in my crazy hair. His body is plastered against mine and his thigh slides between my legs. I moan and he pulls me closer and deepens the kiss. He pulls away, his chest moving quickly and his eyes black. I try to catch my breath.

"I have to go," he informs me, but I can see the disappointment on his face. "We'll talk when I'm done with my mission." I inhale the scent of Bvlgari and the warmth of his skin. He presses a kiss to my lips again before heading to the front door. I feel cold at the loss of contact with him.

"Don't go crazy, Babe," he says opening the door and shooting me a smile. I smile sadly.

"Don't get shot, Batman," I reply grabbing the doorknob. I lean against the door as I watch him head down the hall and disappear. I feel so conflicted. On one hand, he admitted he loves me but on the other, we didn't actually get to say much. Now I have to wait who knows how long before I'll know once and for all. Plus I don't even know if he's seeing Jeanne Ellen or if that was a one-time thing. I close the door and sigh. While what he said was positive and so was that kiss, it doesn't really mean anything. He's always admitted to loving me, but he's never wanted a relationship. In fact, he says he doesn't do relationships. I decide to push it from my mind since there's nothing I can do about it now.

I shower and dress for the day before texting Quinn. We meet up and head to Newark to the FBI building. Once inside, we go to the computers. He ducks out while I do some more digging on Sarah Shupp. I look up her credit card activity and am not surprised to see she used it at Café Citron last night. So it was her! She's probably staying nearby then, and we can get her into a safe house while we continuing hunting for Bianchi. I see she used it at an ATM nearby. I bet she's staying close to that. A quick google search shows only three hotels nearby. Twenty minutes later I have a room number and the address for the hotel she's staying at. A couple of quick phone calls and pretending to have her cell phone got me the information.

I then do a search on Alexandra Ramos. I wonder if Alexander requested them to name her after him. I shake my head at the thought. I'm sure that's exactly what he did. There's nothing really notable about her. She went to Rutgers and received a degree in Fashion and Design. She's been splitting her time between New Jersey and her family and her business in New York. A forbidden love. I don't know why Ian would want to kill Sarah instead of just breaking up with her unless Sarah knows about them?

After writing down some notes Quinn reappears with a grin on his face. I can tell by that look that I'm not about to enjoy what he wants to do next. He agrees that we can go visit her tomorrow. She's obviously sloppy and not too worried about Ian finding her.

"Come on, let's do some training," he says, "and I'm not going easy on you because of your rough night." I narrow my eyes at him and glare.

"Meanie," I say sticking out my tongue. We head down to the gym and I change into athletic gear. I meet Quinn out on the mats where he starts showing me some moves. We start to actually spare.

"So how did it go with Ranger?" he asks getting me into a hold. I grunt as I throw an elbow back into his stomach.

"Well he said he loves me," I reply stepping out from his reach as he doubles over, "but honestly I'm not sure how much that means." He grunts as I hit him from the side.

"You're not sure how much an 'I love you' means?" he asks incredulously, and I can't say I blame him. If it were anyone else, I'd say it means he has feelings, but this is Ranger we're talking about.

"No, there's always a qualifier and I'm pretty sure I saw him with another woman the other week," I reply right before he manages to catch my leg. I fall hard on my butt.

"You saw him with another woman? Damn sweetheart," he says, holding out a hand to me, "as in you caught them in the act?" I shrug.

"I saw them from my car. They embraced and definitely looked like they were making out," I explain, "and she's hot." I see Quinn raise an eyebrow.

"From what I know about the man, he doesn't trust many people and yet he trusts you. And he admits he loves you," Quinn says, "how sure are you they were kissing?" I shrug, starting to feel embarrassed. Maybe I did overreact although that doesn't explain her popping in after the distraction I did.

"Pretty sure and that same woman, damn Jeanne Ellen Burrows, showed up a few nights later when I did a distraction for him. They seemed rather…close," I explain as we get some water.

"Well, you'll have to ask him when you see him again," he says, "but for now, focus on you and what you want out of a relationship." I nod. It's nice having an objective male friend who's actually sensible.

"On another note, I think we're close to cracking this Bianchi thing wide open," I say thinking about Sarah and the whole Alexandra Ramos thing.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: I apologize for such a long delay in posting. I do have ideas for where this story is going and some written. It was just very difficult for me to get this chapter out. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for all of the reviews & encouragement-it keeps me going! Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

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Tender by Jones

" _'Cause what if life happens?  
It ain't as good as it was  
'Cause the girl that used to be me, when I look back now  
Don't know who it was_

 _I love you right now, but will I love you forever?  
Forever  
My heart beats so loud but my mind is still tender  
Still tender"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 14: Watching & Waiting…**

Steph's POV

Quinn insists on a week full of surveillance on both Alexandra Ramos and on Sarah Shupp. Surveillance and sitting still have never been my strong suit. I guess it's something I'll need to get used to. We have been training and exercising every day. I'm getting better and stronger. I'm surprising myself daily. I also realize I can't just go off half-cocked without any thought for my own safety. I feel a deep embarrassment when I think of all the times I almost got myself and more importantly, someone else killed. It really is no wonder Ranger kept his distance. It's amazing as I think of the complex emotions thrown in this. Ranger always told me his life didn't lend itself to relationships, and part of me realizes he's afraid. I don't blame him. Why did I stay with Morelli for so long? It's so easy for me to see now. I was scared, and he was familiar. I'm not going back to who I was before. I barely recognize the person in the mirror, but I'm much more satisfied by who I see. I'm also realizing I can only choose how I react and deal with situations. I will survive whether Ranger truly loves me back or not. I sigh and let my thought drift to our surveillance subjects.

The difference between the two women is day and night. While Sarah has blonde hair and blue eyes, Alexandra is all dark. Sarah majored in International Affairs while Alexandra did Fashion and Design. Sarah is completely sloppy when it comes to her awareness and safety. Alexandra takes at least as many precautions as Ranger himself. It's amazing to think that Ian was once interested in both of these girls considering how different they are.

Sarah has been camped out in a Marriott a little outside of Trenton. Honestly, her activity isn't even interesting. It just seems like she's hiding out until she thinks Ian is no longer looking for her. I'm not sure why we haven't approached her yet except that Quinn thinks we should hold off as long as possible. She mostly stays in the hotel room, goes out for groceries or to run. The only smart things this girl is doing is using a fake last name, using a burner phone, and cash to pay for the hotel. Honestly, we might just leave her until we catch Ian since he hasn't seemed to figure out where she is.

Alexandra is a whole other story. She's been completely busy. We missed Ian's meeting with Juliet, and she wasn't on our radar yet so we weren't able to catch him. From what we can tell, she uses a burner cell to contact him. She then has another cell phone for all her family and work. She's been busy with planning a big party that will be held in New York. From what we gathered so far it's a big to-do with all of the Mob in the Tristate area along with some well-known foreign diplomats. That party seems important and we're trying to figure out how to get invited. It seems rather clear that Ian will be attending, but without knowing where he is or how to find him we can't get him before the party.

I sigh as I see Alexandra come out of her family's compound before getting into her yellow Porsche and heading, as usual, to her office building in New York. I don't know how she does this commute all of the time. We've bugged her car with trackers so we can follow without actually following. It's obvious her family knows nothing of her interactions with Ian. We've only been able to get close enough one time to hear her actually talking with him. We just had no way to track him.

"Maybe we should just go do some training," Quinn suggests. He obviously doesn't want to follow Alexandra again unless we see her tracker do something interesting.

Quinn drives us to the Newark office and thankfully I've learned to bring gym clothes with me all the time. We head in and stop by to say hi to Xandra. She welcomes the distraction and we chat for a bit. We haven't gotten together since the night I drank too much.

xxx

"Come on, Plum!" Quinn taunts as he bounces on the balls of his feet. He just got a good hit in and it knocked me off balance. I'm back in position, and I decide to fake him out. I dart my eyes to his left side but then go into his right. I'm able to elbow him, smash his foot and get him onto the floor. I then back away quickly so he can't get me with his foot.

"You okay down there, _Sweetheart_?" I reply feeling smug, "maybe you need to spar with someone your own size." I then laugh at my own sassiness. It feels so good knowing I can actually handle myself in hand to hand combat. At least I'm no longer a liability. Quinn smirks and shakes his head.

"I'm going to regret getting you trained, aren't I?" he asks with a smile as he reaches out a hand for me to help him up. I extend my hand down to him and he grabs it quickly. I see a flash of mischief on his face before he pulls me down with him.

"Quinn Anthony Rivers!" I exclaim as I hit the ground painfully. He's now standing up and looking down smirking.

"Never trust the enemy," he says before wiggling his eyebrows. I shake my head. I had totally beat him. I stand up and my cell phone rings. I can tell by the ringtone that it's Lester. I head over and answer the phone.

"Hey Les," I greet with a smile as Quinn gets a drink of water.

"Beautiful, where are you right now?" he asks with no real greeting. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. He seems serious though.

"Newark, why?" I question wondering what in the world Les has to tell me.

"Well…" he says hesitating, "it seems your Granny got picked up by PD." I'm speechless although not surprised. It wouldn't be the first time she's gotten picked up by the cops. I just wonder what she could have done this time.

"Is she okay?" I ask, unsure of why Les would be calling me and not my mother. Les chokes and coughs. I'm worried now.

"She's fine…it seems her and her beau were found uh…you know…" Les stutters and I can picture him blushing although he's usually hard to embarrass. I feel my cheeks tinting pink at the thought. Only my Grandma.

"I guess I need to pick them up?" I ask not knowing why else he would call. Quinn is looking at me wondering what the hell is going on. This will be fun to explain. He also might question my gene pool and his choice in partner.

"Uh…Beautiful," Les continues and I wonder what else it could be. "Bring some clothes." He hangs up without so much as a goodbye. I stand there holding my phone to my ear. I'm in shock. Not a pretty picture. I'm startled when Quinn waves a hand in front of my face.

"Care to share?" he asks looking confused and a little worried. I smile nervously.

"We gotta go," I say with no other backstory. I so do not want to explain this to my partner.

"Come on, sweetheart," Quinn whines, "you're killing me here. What's going on?" I dread explaining this as I'm sure he'll never let me forget it. I glance over at him as he drives. We're almost back to Trenton.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," I say with a grimace, "let's hit my apartment first." I'm honestly surprised my mother hasn't called yet. Like magic, I feel my phone vibrating, and I groan as I see her name appear. Quinn glances over with a raised eyebrow. I sigh and answer the phone.

"Stephanie Michelle Plum!" my mother screeches like I'm the one who has done something wrong. I wince.

"Yes, mother?" I question, holding the phone about a foot away from my ear.

"You better be on the way to pick up your Grandmother!" she fumes, "I cannot believe her! We will be the talk of the town. We're a laughing stock. I've gotten 50 calls just this morning." I roll my eyes. I always hated how much she cares about what others think.

"I'm on my way now," I say, "and who cares? It seems like Grandma…had fun." I cringe at the mental image.

"Fun? Fun?!" she screeches some more and I hear her take a drink of something. Probably something with a kick. I decide just to hang up now and regret it later. I put my phone on silent. Quinn keeps shooting looks my way.

"So what did your Grandma do?" he asks, "your mom seriously sounded like she was about to blow a gasket or something." I sigh as we pull into the parking lot of my building.

"You don't want to know," I say, placing a finger on my now twitching eye, "but it doesn't take much to set my mother off." We head up and I quickly gather some clothes and a blanket. Quinn keeps giving me looks but I completely ignore them. I can feel my face flushing at the thought. It's bad enough when I have to direct him to the police station. A grin breaks out onto his face as we park.

"Why do I have a feeling this is gonna be good?" he questions with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. I narrow my eyes and glare at him. We head into the station and I'm surprised to see Lester standing in the lobby. He grins at the two of us. I can tell Quinn is getting excited since he's sure Les will spill the beans. I sigh, roll my eyes and head to the window. Robin Russell is behind and she smiles when she sees me.

"Sorry you had to come in Steph," she says, "I'll take you back to get them." I nod as I sign some paperwork. Quinn sees me and grins, slaps Les on the back before coming over to me. I guess Les filled him in and he doesn't want to miss this. It's his retinas that will be burned forever. Robin shows us to the holding cell. Thankfully, they separated Nicolas and Grandma and gave them blankets. They're holding hands through the bars. I roll my eyes upward and mutter to myself. Really, it's no wonder my mother drinks.

"Alright, you two lovebirds," I say, "time to go." They jump up and I hastily shield my eyes as the towel around Nicolas falls. I hear Quinn groan. Apparently, he wasn't as fast as me.

"Keep the towel up! Towel up!" Quinn yells sounding like he's been shot. Still keeping my eyes covered, I hold out the clothes I brought to Grandma.

"Thanks," she says, "I'm glad it's you and not your mother. Helen doesn't know how to have any fun!" I cough.

"This was fun?" I question as we walk down the hall. Robin shows my grandma and Nicolas a place to change. Thankfully I grabbed two shirts and two pairs of sweatpants. I resist the urge to make the sign of the cross. Quinn is silently shaking next to me. I look over to glare at him and he can't help the loud guffaw.

"Sweetheart, your life could be a movie," he says, "I almost don't believe it." He blinks.

"Although, I do wish I could erase seeing the wrinkled raisin," Quinn mentions scrunching up his face. I laugh.

"You deserved it!"

Grandma and Nicolas take a suspicious amount of time to get dressed, but I think we're all too scared to check on them. Finally, they emerge dressed in my clothes and giving each other sly looks.

"Alright you two," I state, "let's go." We head out to the car and everyone in the station claps as Nicolas and my Grandma walk out. Grandma waves and thanks everyone as she walks by. I feel my eye twitch some more. We get to the car and they watch from the station as we get in. Jeez, I guess the Burg has nothing better to do.

"Wow! Ain't that a pip," Grandma says from the backseat, "I feel like Madonna!" Quinn laughs.

"I don't ever want to have to come to get you two again!" I exclaim, "once is enough! Besides who knows what Mom will say."

"Aw who cares, she's got a stick up her behind," Grandma quips as Nicolas grips her hand.

"Thank you for coming to get us, Stephanie," Nicolas says, the calmer of the pair. "To show our appreciation I'd like to invite you and Quinn to the big gala we're having on Saturday." Quinn and I lock eyes. This big gala is exactly the event we were trying to get invited to. My irritation with Grandma's actions suddenly evaporates. We're about to get our man.


	15. Chapter 15

AN: Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews & for sticking with me. Now a chapter you have all been waiting for... please let me know what you think. Enjoy!

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Vivo Pensando en Ti by Felipe Pélaez and Maluma

" _Yo no sé qué va a pasar  
Pero sé que pongo en riesgo  
Nuestros días de amistad  
Ay no sé cómo sucedió  
Pero ya el papel de amigo y confidente me dolió _

_Y vivo pensando en ti  
Y sé que eso no es normal  
Porque te conozco  
Porque reconozco que eso no fue nuestro plan  
Y sigo pensando en si  
Y sé que eso no es normal  
Pero ya te sueño  
Y todo lo que siento no lo puedo controlar" _

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 15: Undercover  
**

Ranger's POV

The last month has been complete hell. After watching Stephanie and Santos kiss I realize I need to step up to the plate. It's obvious now that she and the cop will not be getting back together. I'm shocked, but relieved. I know I pushed her back to him once, but I would never make that mistake again. It's just hard knowing I have so many enemies because she can hardly take care of herself. I guess if I showed her what I want then she would work harder to keep herself safe. I know I was just lying to myself to keep her at a distance. I shake my head to clear myself of these thoughts. I need to be focused tonight.

I scan the crowd continuously. There's nothing like the nightmare of a formal event to keep an eye on your mark. I'm wearing an Armani tux in the darkest blue they had. Not my normal black, but the suit works. The white shirt is freshly pressed and crisp against my skin. I want to lose the bow tie, but I can't in this crowd. One wrong move is a faux pas that could mean all eyes on me. Not something I can afford now especially since I'm in with part of a crowd that could recognize me.

My eyes are drawn to the immaculate entrance and the diplomats coming through. When I was called on my last mission, I never expected it to be on American soil. My eyes narrow as I recognize some mob faces from Trenton. Interesting crowd here tonight. Hopefully, my partner gets what we need.

I walk over to the bar to grab something to drink. I need to blend in and keep cover. A tingle runs through my body, and my hand absentmindedly goes to the back of my neck. Funny, that usually only happens when Stephanie is close by. I look at the right side of the bar and see a tall man with piercing blue eyes staring at me. He looks familiar, however, I can't place him. His face is blank, but I have a feeling he knows me. I don't like when someone knows me, and I don't know them. We continue our staring match. My eyes are drawn to a movement as a woman in a white dress with blue patterns outlined in gold puts a hand on his arm. The dress is strapless and beautiful. I follow the creamy white skin up to her neck, and I feel like I know her. The man is still staring at me, but I see his lips move as he says something to the woman beside him. A tinkle of laughter from her is like a bucket of ice water. I know that laugh.

"Quinn, that's ridiculous!" I hear her voice say before she turns. Time seems to slow as she turns, and my heart beats wildly as I recognize the woman before me. As soon as our eyes meet a zap of electricity seems to go through me. Any trace of a good time is immediately gone from her features, and she pales noticeably. Neither of us moves for a moment, but I realize I need to move before my cover is broken. I walk over and extend a hand. I place a kiss on hers and hold onto it for a moment before letting go. I feel the zing that goes through me from the contact. She always had that effect on me and it hasn't diminished with time. I was a fool to think about keeping her as a friend and at arm's length would work.

"I couldn't help staring at such a beautiful woman," I start with some flirting, "My name is Marc Pardo. And you are?" I see her brow furrow in confusion. She knows my real name, but that could mean death for me tonight. She nods slowly, and I see understanding in her eyes.

"Stephanie Plum," she replies before cutting her eyes to the man beside her. They seem so comfortable together. Are they an item? My heart aches at the thought especially since I'm ready to move our relationship to more. This damn mission gave her time to get over me and Morelli. Now she has a new guy and it seems like they get along well. I notice he moves so his arm is around her waist, and she doesn't seem surprised by it. He's staking a claim. The man extends a hand.

"Quinn Rivers," he states, and I feel like he's giving me a warning with his eyes. I take the time to look him over. He's wearing a traditional black tux with a bow tie. He looks Italian. He's in shape and something about him seems very familiar. Stephanie breaks our stare off.

"So…Marc Pardo…what brings you here to New York?" she questions, and I can see all the questions burning in her mind.

"Business." I say no more which is probably for the best because at that exact moment I see the movement of my partner. Just what I don't need. I think seeing a bullet through her brain would give me joy and it's thoughts like that which make me realize Stephanie is too good for me.

"Marc, honey, there you are," she purrs before grabbing my arm and joining my side. I can see Stephanie stiffen almost instantly. Quinn notices and pulls her closer and presses a kiss to the side of her forehead. My jaw clenches as I notice the intimacy they share. I can see an evil glint in Jeanne's eyes. God this is a clusterfuck. Jeanne extends a hand.

"Emelyn Pardo," she says with a Cheshire cat grin. I want to smack the smug look off of her face. She's just mad because I won't give her the time of day. Quinn shakes her hand first and then Stephanie does. I see Steph get distracted and her eyes move to someone in the distance. I see her subtly elbow Quinn before her lips skim the shell of his ear and she whispers something to him. I feel my heart contract at their contact. He nods before turning to us with an apologetic smile. I'm honestly surprised she took the Jeanne thing so well and without any change in facial expression. What in the hell is going on with my Babe?

"I apologize, but we just saw someone we really must say hi to," he explains, "It was great meeting the two of you. Enjoy the rest of your evening." Steph mutters a goodbye before they rush away. They look like they're in a hurry, but trying to seem natural. Something is definitely going on with those two. I turn to glare at Jeanne.

"Was that necessary?" I ask with a sigh. She shrugs and smirks at me.

"Come on honey," she says teasingly, "I saw you standing with them and _I just had to_." I suppress an eye roll. I've hated every minute of working with Jeanne. She's a good agent, but a horrible partner. She's better on her own but the brass said we were the two most qualified for the mission. It's been a long six months. Tank had given me two updates on Stephanie since I left, and he didn't have much to say. He mentioned her working on a dangerous case, but that she seems more confident. He failed to mention her spending time with this guy. Hell, even when I visited that one night I hadn't even realized that guy was there. I'm getting sloppy. All I can think of is her. I make a mental note to call Tank as soon as I can. I need information. Getting out of my thoughts, I turn back to the mission at hand.

"Were you able to get to his computer?" I question quietly before taking a sip of the Brandy. I had completely forgotten about my drink during that encounter.

"Check. It was easy," she replies. Even her voice is starting to get on my nerves. I nod. We scan the crowd and find our mark. Sebastian Ibañez is a slum lord from Honduras. He's been in the United States for the past year, and we've been hearing some concerning stuff. We've been doing reconnaissance on him for a while. I've even infiltrated his organization. He's planning a big attack. We're trying to find more of his partners before we take him out. He's been staying in this house with his big mob supporters. They've been working together to supply arms to the gangs in Honduras. I hear they also help move drugs. We know he has partners here tonight; we just don't know who. Hopefully, whatever Jeanne recovered from the computer will give us the particulars for his plan or some names of his associates.

I can't help but let my eyes wander over the crowd, looking for a certain crazy haired brunette. She looked stunning tonight. Damn this mission. I should have never left our last meeting so abruptly. I could have taken a second to say more to her about my feelings. Now she's with a man seemingly worthy of her affection. Or he better be worthy. My fingers itch to call Tank now. I want a full report on Quinn Rivers. How and why did he appear so out of the blue? And, how did he seem to have such a close relationship with my Babe in such a short time period?

I hope I still have a shot in hell. My heart feels like it's in a vice grip when I see the two of them moving in sync on the dance floor. I have to admit they make a good couple. His skin tone is only a hint darker than hers and her creamy complexion looks good next to his. They're chatting during the dance and whatever he says makes her laugh. Knowing I can't do much for my mission now, I need to get over to her. Dammit, I want my chance with her. A chance I thought I still had after her admitting her feelings to me. My feet move on their own accord. I stride over to the two of them, and the song changes exactly as I approach.

"May I cut in?" I question. I see Quinn probing her face for any indication that she doesn't want to. It's like a blow to the gut. He obviously knows something about me. I must have passed the test because he places Stephanie's hand in mine. I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding.

I put one hand on her hip and the other in my palm. Her blue eyes are a dark sapphire that pull me in. I can't help but pull her closer. Her hand seems to fit perfectly in mine. She seems nervous but isn't saying anything. I try to figure out what changed with her. She seems a bit slimmer, but not in a bad way. I always thought she looked gorgeous before. I realize she seems taller and there's a light in her eyes I don't remember seeing before. We move fluidly together on the dance floor with the soft ballroom music in the background. I know I should be more aware of my surroundings at this time, but my vision is blurred around the edges and all I see is Stephanie. I can feel the energy humming between us-it's always been electric.

I spin her around, and I can tell she wasn't expecting it because she breaks out into a grin as we go a little faster as the tempo of the music increases. After the spin, I have the excuse to pull her even closer and the momentum has her pressed snug against my chest. Her hair is beautifully done in a half updo and in her natural curls.

"You really look stunning, Babe," I inform her and a light blush fills her cheeks.

"Thank you. You do too," she replies before glancing at my suit, "I like the blue." I let out a chuckle knowing she's not used to seeing me in anything besides black. Maybe I should introduce some more color into my wardrobe. We continue dancing and I wish we were together instead of me on a mission as Marc Pardo.

"So how did you meet Quinn?" I ask, deciding to bite the bullet. Her eyes scan the crowd and her mouth turns up in a genuine smile. I feel my heart clench. She seems so happy, and it seems to be due to him.

"We ran into each other while I was trying to find a skip," she says in a slightly vague manner which makes me think there's more to the story. I stop us for a moment and put my thumb on her chin to tilt it up so our eyes meet. Hers are sparkling like diamonds, and I could easily be lost in them forever. I take a deep breath and she seems confused.

"Babe, tell me something," I say in a low voice, "does Quinn make you happy?" Her brow furrows and her mouth pops open. She looks genuinely confused.

"Me and Quinn?" she questions with a laugh, "we're just partners…" As she finishes she looks up at me with wide eyes as though she just let something slip. I start us dancing again.

"Partners?" I question while raising an eyebrow. She smiles at me.

"Well um…I'm showing him the bounty hunting ropes," she says, "he's like my Eliza." I arch my brow even further. First, I don't like her using my comparison. Second, I can tell she's lying. I just can't tell why. I study her face and she flushes under my gaze. I'm pretty sure we've danced through three songs already. I look up and see Jeanne and Quinn dancing with other people.

"Babe, you know you can tell me anything, right?" I remind her and she shifts her gaze down. I can tell she's more nervous and she glances around.

"He _is_ my partner, Ra-Marc," she says almost forgetting my cover. Her eyes fly up to meet mine.

"We're FBI agents," she states in a low whisper and our faces are so close I can see her individual eyelashes. I continue our dancing even though I feel shocked and frozen inside. Her eyes are scanning my face, waiting for a reaction. I feel my chest swell with pride. I always knew she had it in her. This means she must be getting more training as well. Actually, this explains a lot of her demeanor. I shoot her a 100-watt grin. She blinks, stunned by my full smile before she gives me a small smile of her own.

Forgetting myself, I wrap my arms around her and slant my mouth over hers. I kiss her soft and slowly prod her lips with my tongue. She tastes so sweet. I break away quickly realizing I just royally fucked up. A quick scan shows no one really noticed but of course, I see her Grandma coming our way.

"Gotta go now Babe," I say looking pointedly at Edna approaching. "I love you." I say it easily and slightly unexpectedly. I turn and quickly walk towards the bar. I need to avoid my cover being blown. Of course, it may be compromised since I just kissed my Babe. I feel so proud of her and sad that I missed such a big milestone. At least she and Quinn aren't romantically involved. That at least makes me feel better. I get a drink at the bar and discreetly text Jeanne. Time for the next step.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Wow...almost two months without posting. Do I suck or what? In my defense, a whirlwind of stuff happened. I got a promotion and ended up moving to a new city. It's been crazy but wonderful. I've been stressed and busy with the move and the new job so I haven't been writing as much. I will finish this though, not to worry. Here is the next installment...and hopefully it won't be as long until the next one. As always, please review and let me know what you think! Enjoy!

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Don't Kill My Vibe by Sigrid

"… _But I throw myself from heights that used to scare me  
Guess you're surprised I'm the puzzle you can't figure out_

 _I tried to play it nice but  
Oh-oh-oh, ooh, ooh  
Don't kill my vibe  
Oh-oh-oh, ooh, ooh  
Don't break my stride  
(I tried to play it nice but)"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 16: Dropping a Bomb(shell)**

Steph's POV

Quinn and I enter the extravagant home of one Sergio Ambrosini. He's one of the biggest mobsters in the tri-state area. He opened his luxurious New York mansion for a gala tonight. Sergio while a well-known mobster, also has a lot of Diplomatic contacts which makes this crowd very interesting tonight. I was lucky enough to get the invite since Grandma Mazur has been seeing Nicolas Bianchi. The two of them are also here somewhere. Quinn and I came posing as a couple. We've been working well together for the past couple of months. While we're here to do surveillance and see if Ian shows up, it's a spectacular party that I want to enjoy. I'm dressed in a gorgeous strapless dress that falls to the middle of my shins. It's white with dark blue abstract patterns with gold outlining the blue patterns. It's absolutely gorgeous, and I'm wearing a beautiful blue pair of Manolo Blahnik's that match the dress perfectly. While the bureau doesn't pay me too much, I now have a steady income to spend. My shoe collection has grown.

Once we catch Ian, I'll have even more money in the bank. Of course, I'll split the money with Quinn since we've been working on it together. Vinnie's lucky he's had more time to try and catch Ian before having to forfeit his money. Little does he know that the FBI talked to the judge so it would be extended since we're trying to gather more evidence on the family.

I'm standing next to Quinn at the end of the bar and sipping slowly on a flute of champagne. My neck tingles, and I reach up to rub it. I notice Quinn's been staring for quite some time.

"What's up with you?" I question with a smile as I scan the other side of the room.

"You won't believe me if I tell you," he says quietly without turning to face me, "Ranger's here." My heart skips a beat before I let out a little laugh.

"Quinn, that's ridiculous," I say, turning to see for myself. I'm frozen as I meet eyes with one, Ricardo Carlos Mañoso, my mentor, friend, and one-time lover. I was also head over heels for him the last time I saw him. The beating of my heart reminds me that I still am in love with him. The last time I saw him was a month ago when he showed up in my apartment after my night out. After I admitted my feelings for him. After he left without answering me. All this time and he's been stateside. There's still electricity between us. I try to compose myself as he approaches. I wonder what he will have to say. Quinn puts an arm around my waist, probably to give me some of his strength. I welcome it at the moment. Ranger extends a hand to me. I reach mine out, and I'm surprised when he brings it to his mouth for a small kiss. Heat travels through my body at the contact. He lingers for a moment before letting go. My skin is on fire from the touch and my pulse is racing.

"I couldn't help staring at such a beautiful woman," he says with the audacity to flirt, "My name is Marc Pardo. And you are?" Oh, shit. He must be undercover. So he still is on his mission which makes sense that he hasn't contacted me. What kind of shit storm did he get himself into? Most of the people here would kill him without hesitation. Throw in a fact that several Trenton families are in the room means he could be exposed at any moment.

Quinn introduces himself, extends a hand and shakes Ranger's. I use this to scan Ranger. My heart aches. He looks so good in the dark blue suit, and I'm shocked he's not wearing black. I don't think I've ever seen him so dressed up and he looks…delectable. The two seem to be having a stare off. I work hard to come up with a question to stop the two of them.

"So…Marc Pardo…what brings you here to New York?" I ask pausing before and after I say his name. It's odd to call him another name. I also have a ton of other questions to ask him, but I doubt if he'd answer any of them.

He only utters, "Business," before I see movement beside him. Blonde hair. Oh god. I feel my chest contract, and I try to keep my breathing even.

"Marc, honey, there you are," Jeanne's high pitched voice says as she grabs Ranger's arm. Quinn squeezes me closer and presses a light kiss on my forehead. I'm so glad I have him with me tonight. Thankfully, my heart doesn't shatter like that night so long ago when I first saw them together. Jeanne puts out her hand for us to shake.

"Emelyn Pardo," she says with a huge grin as Quinn takes her hand. My heart clenches even more. They're here together pretending to be man and wife. Jeez, I really never stood a chance. At least I was honest and Ranger knew how I felt. He just never got to tell me he didn't feel the same. Stupid man, stupid mission. I feel shocked yet I can't even feign surprise. I never thought he would truly pick me. Hope, is another story. I had hoped.

Quinn and I make introductions, and my attention is drawn across the floor. I see Ian. I'm a little shocked that he would make an appearance. We've seemed to be right behind him this whole time and now we're actually in the same room as him. I nudge Quinn and nod in Ian's direction.

"Ian's here," I breathe out in a whisper. It doesn't take long for Quinn to notice. He makes goodbyes for us to Ranger and Jeanne before we try getting over to Ian. I have a bug handy so we can track him once he leaves. The only problem is we need to get close enough to put it on him without him noticing. We're also supposed to act naturally. The plan is to bug Ian and track him. We think he has something deadly planned, but we don't know specifics. We move quickly, but naturally across the floor. Ian is dancing with Alexandra Ramos. Hmm…I wonder how her grandfather feels about that. I'm sure he's not happy.

Quinn takes my hand and leads me onto the dance floor. My mind is focused on our task. I don't want to think about Ranger right now. Especially when he's here with Jeanne. At least I have Quinn. I look up at my partner and I count my blessings he found me when he did. He's been my saving grace.

"Let's try to get close to Ian, stumble, and drop the tracker in his pocket," Quinn suggests as was we get closer. I nod.

"Sounds good," I say as I shoot him a smile, "I'm known to be klutzy." We dance closer to Ian and Alexandra. Quinn times it right and just as the song ends I "fall" and grab Ian on my way down. Thankfully, I don't really fall and am able to catch myself. The bug falls effortlessly into his pocket. Quinn grabs me and we apologize to Ian before he can really register what happened.

We continue dancing as the party goes on. Of course, Ranger can't stay away. I swear he enjoys torturing me.

"May I cut in?" Ranger questions, his voice velvety smooth. Quinn looks at me to make sure I'm okay with this. I nod even though I'm unsure. Ranger pulls me to him and I can feel the warmth spread through my body. The electric feel that's always between us is humming and it's like we haven't been apart a day. He spins me unexpectedly, and I can't help but break out into a grin. I shouldn't be surprised that dancing is another thing that Ranger is good at, but I am.

"You really look stunning, Babe," he says, his chocolate eyes sparkling. I can't help the blush that spreads over my cheeks. Why is he being so charming and…flirty? I look him over again in his beautiful blue suit.

"Thank you. You do too," I say, "I like the blue." He gives me a grin and chuckles.

"So how did you meet Quinn?" he asks not meeting my eyes. I scan the crowd to find my partner. I smile as I think about him. He's one of the best people to come into my life. I tell Ranger a watered-down variation of the truth. He stops us from dancing and puts a thumb on my chin so I'm looking in his eyes.

"Babe, tell me something," he says seriously, "does Quinn make you happy?" I feel incredulous as he asks me this question. What the hell does he mean? Does Quinn make me happy? Then it dawns on me. I look up at Ranger. He thinks Quinn and I are an actual couple.

"Me and Quinn?" I question with a laugh, "we're just partners…" Shit. I should not have admitted that. I look up at him with wide eyes. I wonder if he'll question me on that…although knowing Ranger, of course, he will.

"Partners?" he questions as he raises one of his perfect eyebrows. I smile innocently trying to figure out how to play this off.

"Well um…I'm showing him the bounty hunting ropes," I say thinking fast, "he's like my Eliza." I can tell that hits a nerve with Ranger as he raises his eyebrow further. He's also not buying this for a second. Damn him and his superior bullshit detecting skills.

"Babe, you know you can tell me anything, right?" he says sincerely and I can't look him in the eyes. How does he know how to cut through me every time? It's not fair. I look around to see who's close by. No one I recognize. I look back into Ranger's eyes. They're a beautiful chocolate brown with caramel swirls.

"He is my partner, Ra-Marc," I say quickly saving myself from using his real name. My eyes move up to his once again and I take a deep breath.

"We're FBI agents," I state in a low whisper. Our faces are so close I can feel his skin against mine. His aftershave smells so good. I want to rub against him like a cat and bathe in his scent. I've missed him so much and he's not even mine to miss. My heart aches. I'm truly pathetic. He's silent and I pull back to study his face. He has a blank face as usual. He's still spinning us around the dance floor. All of a sudden he shoots me his signature 100-watt grin and I have to blink after being stunned. I must say it's been a while since I've seen him smile like that. I return his smile.

His arms tighten around me and it's like the world slows down. My heartbeat picks up as his lips meet mine. A tingle rushes down my spine and I feel warmth between my legs. The kiss starts off slow but his tongue darts over my lips seeking entrance. I moan against him as I open my mouth as his tongue explores. In an instant, he stops and pulls away from me as he comes to his senses. I'm breathless and my heart is still beating fast. How could I be so easily distracted by him? And what did that kiss mean?

"Gotta go now Babe," he says as he stares in the distance. A quick glance tells me he sees my Grandma approaching. Definitely not someone he wants to see him when he's undercover. He looks back at me and his lips quirk into a smile.

"I love you." He drops that bomb before quickly turning and walking away. I stand, stunned. What did he just say to me? I blink a few times. What the hell just happened?

"Steffie," Grandma says nudging my arm, "was that hunk I just saw you with Ranger?" I blink again. Shit. I turn to look at Grandma. She really looks stunning tonight.

"No Grandma," I reply with a pointed look, "that was Marc, a friend." I see as she processes it and seems to understand. She nods and I scan the crowd trying to find my partner. I see him dancing in the distance. The song ends and he politely disengages. He's by my side in an instant. His blue eyes are assessing me.

"You okay, Sweetheart?" he questions. I nod. I am okay and I will be fine.

"Nothing I can't handle," I say shooting him a small smile. Still… I'm shaken up by that encounter with Ranger. He's never said 'I love you' like that so casually and without a qualifier. A beeping from Quinn's pocket makes us both think back to the present. He pulls his phone out and it shows that the tracker is heading away from the mansion. Guess party time is over. Time to go put this bad guy away for real.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Wow...it's been a while. Thank you for all of the readers who are still with me. This story will be wrapping up in a few chapters or so. **Please let me know what you think - Review!** Thank you. Enjoy!

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This is Me by Kesha

 _"When the sharpest words wanna cut me down_

 _I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out_

 _I am brave, I am bruised_

 _I am who I'm meant to be, this is me_

 _Look out 'cause here I come_

 _And I'm marching on to the beat I drum_

 _I'm not scared to be seen_

 _I make no apologies, this is me"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 17: The Reveal**

Steph's POV

Quinn drives while I pull up the tracker on my phone. I assume Ian is going home, but his tracker is zig-zagging and heading towards the ocean. Or the shipping yard, not the ocean. He must be meeting someone.

"Quinn, this might not be a good idea," I say as we get closer and closer to the blinking dot on the phone. I look over at him and his face is illuminated by the yellow glow of the passing street lights.

"We'll just monitor," he replies, "we won't go in without backup unless it's just him." I nod before returning my eyes back to the GPS. A knot forms in my stomach. I feel like something is not right, but I don't know what it is. Quinn turns off his headlights as we head into the gated area of the yard. Surprisingly, the gates are open and no one is manning the deck. Odd, but we continue on slowly. The red dot on the tracker blips in and out at the same pace, but I can see us growing closer. Thankfully, the shipping yard has several light posts. The lighting is dim, but it's just enough to see. There are at least three black cars in the back surrounding one shipping container. Men are standing facing each other, and I can see the guns. I instinctively go for mine. I have it in my purse since I had no good place to put it in this dress. Quinn discreetly gets us to a good place where our car is not seen, but we can look on. All of the men are dressed like they were also just at the party. All of these players in one house just had to come to the shipping yard? Definitely odd. Ian seems to be off to the side in this situation. It's hard to say, but it really looks like some kind of negotiation.

The atmosphere shifts and they all tense up and raise their weapons in seriousness. This is not good. I look over at Quinn and his eyes meet mine. He pulls his cell phone out and places a call.

"Yes, this is Quinn Rivers. We're at a shipping yard at the New York / New Jersey border. Tensions are running high, but we have Nicolas Bianchi in sight and looks like there could be a shoot out," Quinn says in a quiet urgent tone, "copy that." He hangs up the phone and turns to look at me again.

"We stay put. They're going to send a chopper and a van for back-up," he informs me as he pulls his gun from the holster under his jacket. We can see them arguing from the car but no sound reaches our ears. I can feel the tension in my shoulders and neck as we wait to see how this will play out. The arguing seems to continue, and we're stuck watching this slow motion show. Half of the men are dark-skinned Latinos and the other half are slightly less dark and could be Italian like Ian. One of the Latino's picks up a block and starts waving it around. He then throws it to the ground and a cloud of white dust plumes around the men. He continues waving his arm madly and shaking his gun. A gunshot rings out. Shit. Suddenly, gunfire is in all directions yet I see Ian dart away. I nudge Quinn.

"He's heading away from the gunfire," I say in a whisper even though there's no one else to hear us. He clenches his jaw and sighs but nods. We'll follow him.

"I think I have two vests in the car. We better put them on," Quinn says opening the door quietly. We get the vests from the trunk. I look back at the gunfire and it's still going, but it looks like some unseen force is slowly eliminating the targets. I check the GPS and it is steadily blinking yet growing slowly farther away from us. Thank God, I'm a Jersey girl otherwise I doubt I would be able to go after Ian in this outfit.

Quinn and I take off on foot and chase after our man. I glance down every now and again to ensure we're headed in the correct direction. I notice it has stopped moving. I motion to Quinn and we slow down so he won't hear us. We both have our guns drawn in front of us. I can hear my heart beating rapidly but above that is the sound of Ian cursing. I peer around a shipping container to see Ian trying to break into a car. He's not having much success as he continues looking around wildly. I nod to Quinn and we both move quickly.

"Ian Bianchi put your hands up!" Quinn yells as we both have our guns trained on him.

He looks up at us like a crazed deer in the headlights. I think he'll comply but he decides to raise his gun. Quickly, almost instinctively I aim and squeeze the trigger. It hits his hand and his gun clatters to the ground. He clutches his hand to his body as Quinn and I surround him. Quinn quickly handcuffs him.

"You're in violation of your bond and we're here to take you in," he says even though FBI is printed in bright bold yellow on our flak vests, "You're also under arrest." Quinn recites his rights as we head back to our vehicle. A chopper is circling the yard as we get closer to our car. The scene where they had all been shooting out is silent, and I see a familiar silhouette standing in the center as men are being put on stretchers. The back of my neck tingles. I wonder what this means for his mission. I wonder what that means for us.

"You need to take me to a hospital," Ian whines as he lags behind us, "I'm bleeding out." I roll my eyes. I've had worse injuries than that just from my time as a bounty hunter.

"I think you'll survive," I say not even giving him a glance. Quinn has him in leg shackles and handcuffs. Honestly, I don't know where Quinn had those stashed. We are finally bringing Ian to justice. It's taken way too long. We put Ian into the back of our car and close the door. Quinn gives me a high-five.

"See," he says with a smile and a twinkle in his blue eyes, "I knew finding you would be the best decision I've made." We lean against the car with our backs as we watch the rest of the scene. We can't hear anything, but we can see the bustle of men as they catalog injuries and weapons. Quinn bumps into my shoulder with his own. I smile.

"Thanks for believing in me, Sweetheart," I say with a wink as I bump him back. "Let's nail this a-hole!"

We get in the car and drive. It'll take about two hours to get back to Trenton from where we are. We won't be getting a normal amount of sleep tonight. Quinn says it's best to hold him at the Newark building overnight before turning him in for the body receipt at the TPD. Quinn insists I have the right to make it the biggest and best skip takedown for me. He thinks announcing I'm FBI while we do it will just be icing on the cake.

It's nearly three in the morning before I get into my apartment and strip out of my beautiful dress. It's a little dirty, but I'm hopeful having it sent to the dry cleaners will make it good as new. My feet are killing me. I have no energy to shower so I'll save that for the morning. I get in bed and sigh. I smile. I can't believe I did it. Just as I'm drifting off I swear I hear, "Proud of you, Babe."

The next morning, I have a smile on my face although I'm a little nervous. I'm ready. I look over at Quinn who's in the passenger seat beside me. None of this would have been possible without him. He's really helped me grow into the person I'm meant to be. Yes, I had already decided to change my life before he walked in, but he's given me strength and courage when I had none. I look back over my shoulder to see Ian Bianchi slumped in the back seat. Finally, we got him. We're taking him to the TPD as a formality and to collect the body receipt. Then we'll reveal to everyone that he's in FBI custody, and I'm no longer Bombshell the Bounty Hunter: I'm Special Agent Stephanie Plum. Lookout Trenton! I can't wait to see the looks on everyone's faces. I know they'll be shocked. I'm guessing no one bet on this outcome. A smirk settles on my face at the thought. The police station is in sight, and at 10 in the morning, it's prime action time. Quinn wanted to give me the glory and let me go in alone but he also wants to see everyone's reaction. I told him he could videotape it for all I care. We park and I get Ian out of the backseat. My badge is clipped on to the waist of my pants, but I'm sure no one will notice until after I make my announcement. I stroll into the precinct with Ian in front. Of course, I happen to run into Big Dog.

"Whoa Steph, caught your man? I don't see any food or garbage and no totaled car?" he questions, "I owe Robin twenty bucks." I roll my eyes. At least it sounds like Robin was on my side. I ignore Big Dog and take Ian up to the processing window where I find Robin Russell with a smile.

"Look at you go Steph! I knew it," she said with a smile. I grin back. It feels good knowing that she had my back instead of turning on me. I happen to see Carl, Eddie, and Joe standing down the hall in a huddle. Perfect. Everyone will be around for the grand announcement.

"Alright Steph, here's the body receipt. We'll take him from here," she says with a smile. I can feel the excitement rolling off of my partner.

"Thanks, Robin, but actually Quinn and I will take him," I reply making my voice loud enough to conveniently catch the attention of the three men.

"Steph, you know that's not how this works," she says a little annoyed. I see Joe, Eddie, and Carl stepping closer.

"I'm sorry Robin," I say as I pull out the FBI paperwork from my pocket, "Ian Bianchi is now in FBI custody. Special Agent Rivers and I will be taking it from here." As soon as the words are out of my mouth Joe is the first to come over.

"Cupcake, you've got to be kidding," Joe says incredulously. I give him a 'sorry not sorry' look and shrug.

"Unfortunately, I'm not. The FBI will be handling this case from here on out." Eddie whistles.

"Damn Steph, nice piece," he says motioning to the badge on my hip, "Proud of you." Joe's eye is also drawn to the shiny badge. I can see his face starting to heat up. It's no secret that Joe has been interested in working with the FBI. He looks up at Quinn and squints.

"You did this," he says in a low voice directed at Quinn. Quinn grins and a dimple comes out.

"Nah, I just recognize something special when I see it." Joe's mouth gapes open. I smirk and no one else can find the words to say anything. Quinn and I turn while leading Ian out of the building. As we exit into the bright clear day, I turn at my partner and smile. That felt great. I can't wait to see what case we work next. Of course, my phone starts ringing before we even make it back to the car. The Burg grapevine is like wildfire.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Thank you for sticking with me on the long wait! I promise this story will be finished. I only plan for several more chapters before it's all wrapped up. Please leave a review and let me know what you think! Thanks for the support! Enjoy!

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Good as Hell by Lizzo

 _"Woo child, tired of the bullshit_

 _Go on dust your shoulders off, keep it moving_

 _Yes Lord, tryna get some new shit…_

 _I do my hair toss_

 _Check my nails_

 _Baby how you feelin'?_

 _Feeling good as hell..._

 _Boss up and change your life_

 _You can have it all, no sacrifice"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 18: Surprise**

Steph's POV

Leaving the Cop shop with Ian Bianchi in tow, I can't help but smile. My shoulders back. All of my hard work to show the people of the Burg they were wrong about me...and more importantly to show myself that I just needed to follow my passion instead of caving to the pressure. Without much thought, I silence my cell phone. I don't have time to be distracted when we finally have this scumbag in custody. Now we have to get him to the Newark office. It's been a long night and it's turning into an even longer day yet I wouldn't trade this for another day of rolling in garbage and struggling to pay my rent.

We secure Ian in the back of the car and I hop in the passenger seat. Capturing Ian is a big deal for us...and is the beginning of the rest of my career in the FBI. Quinn starts the car and looks over at me.

"We did it, Sweetheart," he says with his dimpled smile. I grin back at him. I couldn't have asked for a better partner. Ian makes a disgusted sound.

"Please don't gloat," Ian mutters, "you're lucky I didn't kill you when I had the chance." I roll my eyes.

"Quinn, did you hear that?" I question innocently, "sounds like Ian here just threatened a Federal Agent." Quinn looks at me his blue eyes sparkling. I think we're both riding this high.

"Special Agent Plum, I believe he just threatened, not one, but two federal agents," Quinn replies before his gaze turns steely and he pierces Ian with a look that says 'shut the hell up or we'll figure out how to make the charges worse.' Ian rolls his eyes but stays silent.

The drive to Newark is smooth. Somehow, Ian manages to fall asleep which would have been welcomed but he decided to snore. A couple of 'gentle' wake-ups made sure he wasn't disturbing our otherwise normal Jersey drive. We arrive at the building in record time and head inside with Ian in front of us. We will be turning Ian over to some expert interrogators to ensure we get all the information he may have. Xandra is waiting for us after we drop Ian off. She's wringing her hands and looks upset.

"George Cooper passed away at 5 am this morning," she informs us with a frown. It takes me two seconds to recall that George Cooper is the DEA agent Ian beat...now beat to death. At least George Cooper's death will not be in vain. I'm sure we will be prosecuting Ian to the full extent of the law. I hope he will get life without parole so he can live out his life in chains. Ian does a sign of the cross. I look over at Ian and mentally decide for us that we'll be attending the agent's funeral.

"Deputy Director Booth wants to debrief with both of you at 11," she lets us know. I'm guessing the debrief is normal, but it will be my first one. Quinn gives me a look.

"Let's go burn some energy," he says with a grin. We have an hour to kill before the debrief. I know he wants to do some exercise. I'll have my official testing now that our case is closed. We head to the gym after changing. I smile when I see Marco. He grins back at me and hugs me.

"Congrats on cracking the case, Plum! Now we'll really put your training to the test," he says with a grin as he releases me back to the ground. Quinn comes up.

"Hey, and what am I? Chopped liver?" Quinn asks sounding offended, "she didn't do it all by herself." He grins letting us know he's kidding.

"Jeez Quinn, did I bruise your ego?" Marco asks draping his arm around my shoulders.

"Maybe you two should work this out on the mat," I suggest, slinking off to the treadmills while the boys square up. I steadily speed up to my running pace and watch as Quinn and Marco spar. Before I know realize, I've been on the treadmill for 30 minutes and have gone three miles. Quinn and Marco are cooling down. I slow down and get off. I drink some water and wipe off with a towel.

"So which of you two won?" I question with a grin before taking some more sips of my water. The boys give each other a look before saying "me" at the same time. I chuckle.

"Sounds like a tie to me," I reply with a smirk, "now we should get cleaned up before the debriefing. Quinn and I head our separate ways to the lockers. We meet back in the hallway in 15 minutes. Butterflies are doing loops in my stomach as we head up to Deputy Director Booth's office.

Two hours later Quinn and I are descending back to the first floor. The debriefing was less intense than I thought it would be but still lasted a while. Quinn and I are officially on vacation. Apparently, it's the protocol to have two weeks off in between cases unless something dire pops up. During these two weeks, I will have to complete my testing in order to remain in the FBI. Quinn assures me that I'm ready. I also plan on finding a new place to live. I'm thinking a nice townhouse to fully become the grown-up, badass Stephanie Plum.

Quinn and I head out. He drives and I finally take out my cell phone. I groan to see over fifty missed called and many text messages. As if my mother has psychic abilities her picture pops up on the screen as she calls for the hundredth time. I sigh as I swipe to answer.

"Stephanie Michelle Plum!" comes the screeching slur. "How dare you ignore your mother all day!" Yeesh, she acts as if she's the center of the universe.

"Been a little busy, Mom," I state in a flat tone. Quinn cuts his eyes to look over at me. I shrug.

"How could you not tell us?! We're your family," Mom says unhappily, "We found out after the whole neighborhood. Do you really think so little of us?" Her words hit me in the gut. She sounds disappointed and not because her daughter is a disaster. I didn't realize they would care so much.

"You and Quinn better be coming for dinner," she sighs heavily, "we at least need to talk." I gulp as I feel a sudden rush of emotion. I just figured she'd be calling to berate me for making a scene in the burg and for not settling down and marrying. I hang up feeling upset with myself.

"You okay, sweetheart?" Quinn asks when I don't say anything.

"I'm not sure. You up for dinner at casa de Plum?" I question as I try to shake off these feelings. I did a good thing. So what if my family isn't ecstatic on how they found out? If they had been more supportive throughout the years maybe they'd understand my thoughts. Quinn grabs my hand.

"You know I wouldn't let you suffer through it alone," Quinn says with a small smile. The rest of the drive passes in easy silence. I honestly could not have asked for a better partner. How did I get so lucky?

As usual, my mom and grandma are standing on the porch exactly as we pull up. I'll truly never understand how they just seem to know. Grandma looks the same as usual except for the big grin. Mom looks more pinched than normal. Ugh, I'm not looking forward to this.

"Good looks, baby granddaughter!" Grandma Mazur cackles gleefully, "and with a looker of a partner too." She gives a conspiratorial wink. I feel Quinn falter beside me. What can I say? Grown men quiver in fear of my grandmother. I feel oddly proud at that yet slightly disturbed. Is that what I have to look forward to when my boobs sag to my knees?

"I'm glad you could make it Stephanie," my mother says stiffly and with a brief smile to Quinn. A pit forms in my stomach. Did I really offend my mother so much? At least she still wanted us to attend. My mom turns to go inside and waves us through first. Grandma has a devious smile on her face. I make sure I'm on the side of Quinn so she can't get a shot in. Quinn notices and smiles at me gratefully. As we head into the foyer I'm puzzled because it's slightly dark. Before I can even ask my mom a shuffling noise catches my attention, the lights go on and a loud, "Surprise!" is shouted. I blink and step backward. A banner is hanging over the living room and it says "Congratulations." I look back at my mom and Grandma with a questioning look. My mom's face has completely changed and she's smiling softly at me. I see something in her eyes...and I swear she's proud of me. I can feel my tears well up at the sudden onslaught of emotion. I swallow thickly and take a moment for the emotion to pass. I turn back to the crowd. I see Valerie, Albert and the girls along with Eddie and his wife Shirley. Mary Lou, Robin Russell, and even Joe. I'm even more shocked to see Lester, Tank, and Bobby in the corner standing by my father.

Quinn squeezes my hand and grins at me. Wow, I cannot believe my parents did this. Someone hands Quinn and I a beer and we get sucked into the crowd. Everyone is congratulating us. I can see Joe with a smile on his face, but I know him well enough to see the annoyed look under his mask. After twenty minutes, someone starts tapping their glass.

"Attention!" My mother shouts. I look to see her and my father standing in the entrance to the kitchen. My father clears his throat.

"Thank you all for coming today! We are celebrating our youngest daughter Stephanie Michelle Plum for not only getting her man but also for joining the Federal Bureau of Investigation," my dad, usually a silent one, says, "please give her and her partner a round of applause for keeping this country safe!" I'm touched to my very core. Did aliens come and replace my parents? Neither of them are acting like they normally would.

"Now, the food is ready in the kitchen," my mother says, "Buffet style. Help yourselves." The crowd slowly forms into a line for food. I walk over to my parents. They each give me a hug.

"We're so proud of you Pumpkin," my dad whispers, "although we wish you would have told us yourself." I nod against his shoulder.

"Thank you both! I'm sorry I didn't tell you myself," I apologize, "Everyone else only found out because of the station. It wasn't intentional, I promise." They both nod.

"I know I haven't always been the most supportive," my mother starts, "but I extremely am proud of you." I can see a tear in her eye

"Now go eat!" She pushes me towards the line. This is the normal mom I know. Using food to cope with her feelings. Quinn and I each get some food and I'm happy to see my mom even made pineapple upside-down cake. As I eat my meal I make rounds and say hello to everyone.

The party is winding down. I head to the kitchen to serve myself a second piece of cake. Of course, Joe chooses this moment to approach me.

"Soooo Special Agent...Cupcake, huh?" he questions with a bitter tone. I'm on the defensive. I never know which version of Joe I'll be getting.

"Yes FBI, Joe," I state before stabbing a piece of the cake and taking a bite. I don't want to deal with him anymore.

"What? Were they dumpster diving and found you?" he sneers, "I've applied five different times." I'm hurt at how rude he is, but I know he's just jealous.

"That's rude and hurtful Joe. So uncalled for," I reply, remaining calm, "maybe if you changed your attitude you'd be considered." He glares at me and clenches his jaw. His expressive eyes are hard and he takes a deep breath to calm himself.

"It's just not fair," he grumbles before turning and walking away. I stay in the kitchen letting my heart rate return to normal after that confrontation. I'm halfway through my piece of cake when Quinn finds me. He looks me up and down.

"What did that prick say?" he questions, obviously picking up on my mood. I shrug.

"Not much, he's just upset he never got into the Bureau," I reply. Quinn lets out a loud, long, throaty laugh.

"Yeah no way," Quinn says as he still chuckles, "I've denied that guy all five times. He doesn't have the personality temperament for the job. Might be a decent cop, but not Bureau material." My eyes widen. Holy shit. I grin. I guess what's meant to be always finds its way. Quinn slings an arm over my shoulder.

"Come on, let me drive you to your apartment so you can have a nice quiet evening to kick off vacation." I nod. We say our goodbyes and I'm excited to sleep late.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: And the story continues... please leave some love (or hate...jk but constructive criticism is welcome). A real reunion will be occurring soon... Thank you for sticking with me and this story. Reviews make my day and keep me even more motivated to post. Enjoy!

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La Vida Entera by Camila and Marco Antonio Solis

" _Un reflejo_

 _Un mal sueño_

 _Lo peor de mi mismo_

 _El mejor exponente del egoísmo_

 _Una maquina de hacer heridas_

 _Hasta que llegaste y me encendiste con tu luz_

 _Tu mirada poderosa y alma curandera_

 _Tu sonrisa eterna y cuerpo de pantera_

 _Me cambio la vida entera"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 19: Light**

Ranger's POV

"Marc, honey," Jeanne purrs coming up beside me, "I think we really ought to go." I look over at her as she stares intently at the screen of her phone. Dios, I can't wait until this mission is over so I never have to see Jeanne's face again. I see Steph and Quinn depart a little while ago. I know Jeanne is right. According to the GPS tracker we planted on Sebastian Ibañez, he's on the move and heading towards a shipping yard. Now in my experience, nothing ever good happens at night in a shipping yard. Jeanne and I make our way to the exit.

I can't help but let my mind wander briefly to Stephanie. She always has a way of making me lose control, and the fact that she had that power while I'm on a mission is frightening. If anyone saw or heard us that could mean death for me. But damn, my Babe is an FBI agent. My chest swells with pride. I always knew she was meant for more than she gave herself credit for. I'm just sad that she realized all of this while I was away. And with my confession of love, I'm looking more and more like a schoolboy. I truly do not deserve Stephanie Plum. If I make it out of this mission in one piece I fully intend to make her mine-if she'll have me. Nothing good has come from keeping her at arm's length and denying my feelings. Hell, people still know she's an important part of my life. I let out a small sigh which causes Jeanne's eyes to cut over to me. Stephanie isn't even here and she affects me this much.

Jeanne and I head out in a black Porsche Cayenne. What can I say? Even undercover I like my luxury cars and with this crowd, it doesn't stand out. I'm driving and Jeanne has her computer out with the tracker up.

"Towards the water. Border of New Jersey and New York," Jeanne says, "I wonder who they're meeting." She does some typing on the keyboard.

"Aha! These scum are dealing with the mob which makes sense considering the party tonight," Jeanne explains as she continues scanning through the drive she downloaded earlier. She flips back to the tracker.

"We're going close to the Bayonne Bridge. You do know where that is, right?" Jeanne asks with a smirk before switching back to the intel she gathered earlier.

"Hmm...looks like Ibañez is exchanging drugs for guns with Bianchi." Well, now I understand why Quinn and Stephanie are in on this. They must be after the mob. Using Ian as FTA is the perfect excuse to sting the whole operation. Jeanne cackles gleefully, and the hair raises on my arms. I think I'd be terrified if I had to go up against Jeanne myself. I'd win of course, but she's definitely unsettling.

"Ibañez is just using Bianchi as a pawn. I see communications here that they plan to take the Italians out as soon as they "make" the deal. If I'm reading this correctly, taking out the Bianchi's is the "big attack..." aside from trying to overthrow the already corrupt Honduran government." I'm relieved to hear that their big plan is taking out some low time Mobsters. I'd be worried about the coup if Honduras wasn't known for having an unstable corrupt government. Sadly, that is the reality for a lot of Central American countries. My jaw clenches and I inch my foot down on the pedal some more. Stephanie and Quinn are most likely following these guys to where we are going. The attack will most likely be tonight. Hopefully, my Babe is smart enough to stay out of the way although knowing her luck something unexpected might happen.

"Turn here!" Jeanne yells and I squeal around the corner. I glare over at her.

"Left here," she says, her eyes tracking the green dot intently on the screen. I turn the lights off and slow a bit. We can hear the gunfire in the distance. I jerk us to the side and we put on some vests before we get out. I can see clouds of white dust in the glow of the street lights. Looks like they're losing some of the product. I send a little prayer up hoping my Babe is safe.

We stealthily move towards the gunfire. I'll be surprised if we have to do anything. They are taking each other out for us. There are eight men, but four are already bleeding out on the ground. Jeanne and I take two well-aimed silenced shots leaving only two more standing. One of them happens to be Ibañez. We come out of the shadows. We have no orders to take him alive. Sometimes it's better working in the gray area of the law and being "off the record."

He stands deadly still as he can sense moving would mean death. Jeanne cuts her eyes over to me, and I know what she's thinking. Ibañez slowly raises his hands in surrender. Unfortunately for him, there is no good reason to leave him alive. According to our intel, he's the head of this snake. We take him out now it will look like he was just another casualty in the firefight. No trace to get back to us and no one left to take over Ibañez's cause. Of course, Jeanne and I both know another cartel will soon dissent as well. It's just a cycle. Jeanne nods at me. Our movements are so in sync, it's almost like art as we both pull the trigger at the same time. Ibañez will not be the first life I take nor is he likely to be the last. I never relish in death. It does not bring me joy or peace. Killing simply is. It's a part of my job. It's part of keeping the country safe. Ibañez crumples to the ground as does his associate. My mind briefly wanders to Stephanie and how she might think of me if she knew exactly how many times I've been in situations mirroring this. I make the same decision every time. I look up into the dark sky as I hear the faint stirrings of a chopper in the distance. A few vans along with the coroner come pulling in. Jeanne and I take steps back towards our vehicle. I feel the tingle on my neck that lets me know my Babe is near. At least it seems that she didn't get sucked into any trouble this evening. Jeanne and I watch briefly as they catalog the scene and load everyone in body bags.

Jeanne and I are able to slip away without being questioned by the Feds. I make the call into our superiors. We're due for debriefing at 0800 later today. I guess they're giving us a few extra hours of sleep. Sleep is the last thing on my mind. I drop Jeanne off at her vehicle. There's only one place I want to be. I finally arrive in the familiar area of Trenton around three-thirty in the morning. I manage to find a close parking spot, and I see her apartment is dark. I quickly make my way up to her apartment and silently pick the lock. The security chain is in the way of course, but I long ago learned how to bypass it. I lock the door behind me before heading to her room. She's already in bed and the light of the moon shines through her window. The pale moonlight illuminates half of her face and a bit of her creamy skin exposed as her familiar black t-shirt rides up. Her lips part slightly as she sighs. I don't deserve this woman.

"Proud of you, Babe." Her eyes flicker under her eyelids otherwise, she's dead to the world. I sit in the chair to watch her sleep for a moment or two. I take off my shoes and set my internal alarm clock as I gently climb into bed with her. Stephanie lets out a contented sigh before curling into my body. I relax as I soak in her warmth and goodness after this night of death. Stephanie truly is the light to the darkness within me.

I slip out of her bed long before she wakes. A few hours of sleep is all I need. Sleeping beside Stephanie always helps me rest. I pull into RangeMan at 0600. I head straight to seven bypassing all of the other floors. I quickly change into some shorts and a t-shirt before heading back down to the gym. I'm not surprised to see Tank, Lester, and a few others already into their morning workout. Tank approaches as I walk in.

"RangeMan, good to see you back," he says acting as though he knew I'd be returning today. I nod.

"Debriefing at 0800, and I'm finally finished." He claps me on the shoulder.

"Congrats. Let us know if you need anything." I nod again. We understand each other without having to say much. This mission finally completes my contract with the U.S. government. I'll be a free agent...free to live my life with the woman I love. My Babe, the woman who brings me out of the darkness and into the light. I just have to convince her that all my qualifiers were bullshit and that I'm serious about having her in my life.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: A moment of gratitude for all of my faithful readers and reviewers. Thank you. Writing these stories wouldn't mean as much to me if I had no one to enjoy them. Thank you for waiting patiently for me to finish this story...still a couple more chapters to go. A big thank you to my most recent reader "KellyGirl." Also to VulcanRider who sent me a PM wishing me well and asking for the concluding parts of this story. It is wrapping up and as always, it will be finished. Please enjoy this short chapter and hopefully I'll have the next one out soon. Please review and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

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Rise Up by Andra Day

" _And I'll rise up_

 _I'll rise like the day_

 _I'll rise up_

 _I'll rise unafraid_

 _I'll rise up_

 _And I'll do it a thousand times again"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 20: Proud of… me**

Steph's POV

"Come on Steph!" Quinn cheers from the sidelines. I look over at my judge, jury, and executioner. Sharon is the Bureau's tester. She's a total hardass too. Sharon made disapproving clicking noises with her tongue throughout my push-up test. The sit-ups she looked bored and kept rolling her eyes. I swear, if Quinn weren't in the room cheering me on, I might have given up. I'm on the final stretch of the 1.5-mile run. The FBI really has everything as I'm on the indoor track. Honestly, I'm not sure how much running on a flat track with no obstacles tells about my ability to do my job as an agent, but here I am. I'm not even winded which I find to be a miracle considering not even a year ago I could barely go half a mile. I'm close to the end so I pick up my pace. My legs are strong beneath me as my feet hit the pavement, my arms pump back and forth as I gain momentum. Sharon's standing at the end with her stopwatch, her beady eyes not even looking away from the numbers ticking away. That image fuels some anger which gives me another burst.

I fly past Quinn and Sharon. My heart is racing, and the last stretch worked up a bit of a sweat. Still, I'm not dying and I actually feel a bit invigorated. I've found that I enjoy running. Who am I? I smile as Quinn comes towards me and wraps me in a hug despite my sweatiness. He picks me up and spins me a bit.

"You did it!" he exclaims, "you're in the FBI!" I laugh. Sharon is busy scoring things on her clipboard. She pushes her glasses back up on the bridge of her nose. She looks over at us.

"You passed," she states in a monotone voice. Jeez, the Bureau needs to get someone with more enthusiasm in this role. She makes it seem so un-noteworthy to pass these tests. I feel giddy with excitement. I'm glad I have Quinn here with me. It's only right that the person who got me into this be there for my triumph. After all, I never would have believed I could do this if it weren't for him. Sharon stalks off hopefully to go put this information in my file.

"Okay, sweetheart! It's time to party like it's 1999," Quinn says slinging his arm around my shoulder. I laugh as I send a text to my Merry Men. As soon as "I did it!" has sent my phone starts ringing. I answer quickly and press the speaker button.

"Congrats Bomber!" comes a chorus through the phone. I feel my heart swell with pride and I tear up a bit. I'm truly lucky.

"Get ready for tonight!" Les's voice comes through, "we're celebrating!" I groan with a smile on my face. The last time we went out was baaaad. I wonder if Ranger will be there…

"See you soon!" the group of Merry Men says before the line goes dead. Typical. Quinn looks over at me with a grin.

"Go get showered," he says nudging me towards the bathroom. Even after all of the exercise, I find I am full of energy and skip to the bathroom. Funny how I just changed my thought processes and set a plan for it to fall into place. I put into the universe what I wanted and I achieved it. I really can do anything. I take a quick shower and enjoy the hot water on my muscles. After I finish up and dress, I head to the hall. Quinn is leaning against the wall waiting for me. He smiles as we head out. We make a stop by Xandra's office. She grins and gives me a tight hug.

"Congrats Steph! We knew you'd do it," she exclaims, "can't wait to celebrate tonight."

"Thanks, hun! It means the world to me knowing I have your support," I reply.

"Quinn and I got you a little something," she says as she grabs something from behind her. She hands me a white envelope. They both nod at me to open it. I gently tear into the paper. Inside is a coupon for a spa day...dated for today.

"Thank you two so much! I seriously would not be where I am if it weren't for your support and encouragement," I state thinking back to the self-deprecating thoughts I had in the beginning. They take turns giving me hugs.

"Alright Sweetheart, we better go before the coupon expires!"

Quinn drives me to the spa and I'm happy to see Lula, Connie, and Mary Lou waiting for me. I look over at Quinn and he shrugs. Seriously, how did I get so lucky? I have such a thoughtful partner. I turn and give him another hug. My face is pressed into his chest and I breathe in his unique Quinn smell. His arms wrap tightly around me.

"Thank you, Quinn," I say quietly, "truly, I don't know where I would be if it weren't for you." He squeezes me more.

"You have to give yourself more credit," he states simply, "but I'm glad I was able to help." I smile and he pushes me towards the girls. We head in and I relish in a day of pampering. We get the full treatment. Five hours later, we emerge fully waxed, shiny, and feeling like a big pile of relaxed goo. I'm surprised when all of the girls pile into one car and there are bags in the back.

"Let's go get ready!" Mary Lou says excitedly as she gets behind the wheel of her minivan. We get to my apartment in record time and there is a spot right in front. I grin. At this point, I don't think anything else could surprise me. By the time we get to my apartment, I'm not even fazed to see Sally standing at the door with his makeup kit in hand.

"Make-up time!" he shouts raising his arm with the makeup bag. The bag is actually a sturdy metal box with a handle. I open the door and we pile in. Lula blasts some music off of her phone, Connie produces glasses of champagne for everyone. I look around at the girls laughing and a small smile finds its way on my face.

I am truly blessed. I wonder as my mother often says, "Why me?" What did I do to deserve this? I'm surrounded by people who support and believe in me no matter what. I have a good job. A feeling of contentment settles in my chest. If someone had told me one year ago that I would be single and thriving, I wouldn't have believed them. I would do it a hundred times over if it meant getting to this same place.

A realization hits, Quinn finding me wasn't the big moment. No, realizing that I wanted to change and then sticking to it-that has been the biggest defining moment of my life.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: I'm sure you're all shocked...another chapter so close to the last one. :) My muse was on a role as I had a few extra days off of work. I also figured you all deserve this after the long wait. Thank you for all the favorites, follows, and of course the reviews! Please let me know what you think. Please drop a review tell me how you'd like to see this progress...also what you thought about the reunion. Enjoy!

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Show Me Love by Alicia Keys and Miguel

 _"I heat up the seconds, times and reasons for your love_

 _This is not the season for nobody else but us_

 _I always get wrapped up in you, baby, I'm in love_

 _We gon' get this love, yeah, like we never done it_

 _Baby, I'm in love_

 _Go 'head, show me love, like we never done it_

 _...Show me love…"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 21: Al Fin (At Last)**

Steph's POV

My apartment is warm with the laughter of good friends. The giggling could be due to the champagne being consumed. Sally has done a wonderful job with all of our makeup. Mary Lou, Lula, and Connie all look stunning. Sally really should go into the makeup artist business! I also feel gorgeous in the natural look he did for me. My eyes pop beautifully but everything is subtle. We're now working on getting dressed. Connie has a beautiful olive green dress on. Mary Lou is wearing a pretty pink dress. Lula, of course, is wearing a skin-tight leopard print dress.

"Steph, we picked something up for you to wear," Mary Lou says with a smile before handing me a bag. I quickly open it and pull out a beautiful deep blue halter dress. It has a deep v-neck. I hug each lady before going to slip this on. I admire myself in the mirror. The dress fits my curves nicely and ends a modest length past my butt. The deep v cuts down below my breasts meaning a bra is not doable. The fabric lays nicely against me so I don't have to worry about one of the girls slipping out of the dress. A little fashion tape ensures that no embarrassing slips will occur. My body is more toned and I look hot! I slip on a pair of dangerous-looking black FMPs. I smile and wink at myself before rejoining the group in the living room. They hoot and holler.

"White girl gon' get lucky toniiiight," Lula sings as she sways with a glass of champagne in hand.

"We're all getting lucky tonight," I say with a laugh. At that moment a knock sounds on the door. I look through the peephole and see Lester and Quinn standing outside the door. I open the door wide.

"Ladies," Lester greets with his green eyes sparkling, "your chauffeurs have arrived." We giggle. Lula and Connie finish off their glasses of champagne. Sally, Lula, and I grab our purses. We all file out and I lock up. Quinn offers his elbow for me. Usually, I'd be taking the stairs, but we pile into the elevator. No need to risk our necks taking the stairs in our heels.

We step outside, and I'm floored to see a large Hummer limo waiting for us. Of course, it's black. Les turns and grins at me.

"Bomber needs to ride in style," he says opening the back door for me. Inside I see Xandra along with Bobby, Hector, Tank, and Manny. I smile and they help me up into the vehicle. We all pile in. More champagne is passed around.

"First stop, dinner, second stop, dancing!" Les shouts before wiggling his eyebrows. We all chat as we ride away. I'm already feeling a bit tipsy so I make a mental note to slow down a bit.

Before I realize, we're outside of a rather fancy Italian (of course) restaurant. It's large with columns in the front, and I can see a terrace in the back. The Hummer stops and the driver gets out and opens the back door. Tank is the first one out and he helps all of us ladies pile out. After we manage to get out of the vehicle with no disasters, the rest of the men hop out. We head inside.

It's beautiful and modeled after the architecture and style of Italy. It's a large restaurant with dim lighting and candles lit on each table. I see a sign at the very front that states on Fridays and Saturdays after 10 pm it turns into a dance floor. Les catches my eye and grins. We're shown out to the back terrace where we all pile around the table. I notice there's one extra seat than there are people. The night is cool without being cold. It's around 7 pm so the sun has already set but the sky is a brilliant pink-orange hue. It's beautiful. I'm in between Quinn and Mary Lou. Lester is sitting across from me. Tank and Lula are side by side. Bobby and Xandra are looking quite cozy together as they go over a shared menu. Hector is next to Bobby and Manny. Connie is on the other side of Manny and beside Sally. My big family. Not the most likely crew. We chat as we sit around the candlelight. Our waiter comes out and more champagne is ordered after we place our food orders. Thankfully, they brought out some breadsticks. All of us females dig in. We had a small meal at the spa but that was hours ago! Combine the hunger with the bubbly and you've got some ravenous and giggly ladies. The bread and butter taste so good as it hits my gurgling stomach. I can't help the moan which then prompts laughs from all around the table. I open my eyes to glare.

"Hey, blame the alcohol!" I say indignantly. Les lets out a huge laugh.

"Please, beautiful, we all know you sound worse when you're sober," Les replies cheekily. I glare and stick out my tongue.

"You don't know," I mumble tearing into the bread some more. Quinn pats me on the shoulder but can't keep the smirk off of his face. Our food arrives and smells absolutely heavenly. I dig into my chicken alfredo with gusto. Thankfully, everyone is equally distracted by their food. Everyone is busy eating so not much conversation occurs until 30 minutes later. I sit back in my chair and pat my content stomach. I feel good knowing that I ate the whole dish, and I still look good in this dress. The waiter comes and has help in clearing all of the dishes. I see Les whisper something in the man's ear. I narrow my eyes. I doubt it will be anything good.

"I can't wait to get out on the dance floor!" Xandra exclaims as we look inside the restaurant. They are already starting to clear the tables. A few people are left eating or chatting, but the whole middle of the restaurant is being moved. My eyes are drawn to the stage I didn't realize was at the back wall. I'm excited to cut loose as well. We continue watching them transform the restaurant when several waiters arrive at our table. One of them is carrying a cake which they set right in front of me. The words "Congratulations Bombshell" are written in elegant icing. I smile at all of my friends. I can't help but feel the ache for the one man I wish was here with us tonight.

"Now, before we cut the cake," the waiter says, "a refreshment." The other two waiters start passing out shot glasses with lime wedges on the edge. I glare at Lester. He puts his hands up in innocence.

"Tequila! Te-qui-la! To-kill-ya!" Quinn chants with a mischievous smile. I glare.

"To our very own Stephanie Plum-Bombshell the Bounty Hunter, Special Agent Plum-the baddest badass of us all," Tank says in an unexpected little speech. Well, I can't be upset now.

"'Pa bajo," Hector begins, moving his glass down, "'Pa'rriba, pa' centro, pa' dentro." We all follow his movements. Glass down, glass up, glass to the middle and then we all down it together. I make a face and quickly bite the lime. I shake my head as I clench my jaw. Woo! Tequila.

"Now, let's wash this down with some cake!" I exclaim as the waiters collect the empty shot glasses. The one who handed me the cake picks it up, and then sets it on another table before expertly slicing it. One of the waiters starts passing around the plates of cake. I notice a few of the Merry Men don't partake in the cake, but they do order more drinks. The cake is divine. Each bite is like heaven in my mouth. Quinn squeezes my leg and Mary Lou smacks my arm. I look at each one and blush. What can I say? I enjoy my sweets and alcohol takes the filter completely off.

By the time we've all finished our dessert and drinks, it's past ten. We stand and head to an outdoor seating area around a nice fire pit. As it's gotten later, it has gotten cooler, thankfully it's not freezing. The doors to the restaurant are open allowing the dance floor to spill out onto the terrace. Our seating is in the perfect location to hear the music and still be able to get to the dance floor. A DJ is on stage playing music and the building is filling up. Manny goes up to the bar and gets everyone another round of drinks. Besides the tequila, I'm sticking with the champagne. No need to mix and get over the top sick. Several of our group have made their way to the dance floor. A cute Italian man even asked Hector to dance. Lester catches my eye and holds out his hand. I take it and we head to the dance floor. We sway to the music together.

"Thank you for everything, Lester," I say, my head resting on his chest, "you're the best friend a girl could ask for." He smiles down at me with his green eyes twinkling.

"Nah, beautiful, you're the best friend a guy could ask for," he replies before pressing a kiss on my forehead. "Now if you and my primo would just get together."

"I've put my cards on the table, Les," I inform him with a shrug, "it's his move." The music speeds up and Les twirls me and gives me a wink.

"Well if he's not moving fast enough, just let me know." As the song is coming to an end, the back of my neck begins tingling. Les and I are going to continue dancing, but my gaze is drawn to the man walking towards us. He looks gorgeous in black slacks and a dark blue v-neck sweater. His hair, of course, is tied back at the nape of his neck. His sleeves are rolled halfway up his mocha latte colored forearms. One diamond glitters in his right ear lobe. His dark eyes are focused on me. My breath hitches and my heart stutters. In a couple of quick strides, he's standing right in front of me.

"I couldn't help staring at such a beautiful woman," he says using the same line as the gala, "My name is Carlos Mañoso, and you are?" By this time, he's caressing my hand with his thumb. I realize Lester has vacated the vicinity.

"Stephanie Plum," I reply, slightly dazed. He gives me his 100-watt grin as his brown eyes sparkle. I can't help the smile that covers my face in reply. He presses a kiss to the palm of my hand.

"May I have this dance, Babe?" he asks in a low voice that goes straight to me. I feel my panties dampen. Holy hot flash Batman! The way my body reacts to this man. The song changes and I recognize it as the style Bachata. Thank you, Lester, for teaching me this dance! I'm able to follow Carlos easily on the dance floor. We're pressed pelvis to pelvis, one of his legs pressed in between mine. He bends down and nuzzles the crook of my neck. He takes a deep inhale before placing a light kiss on my collarbone. Goosebumps break out across my flesh and I'm pretty sure I let out a small gasp. He lets out a rumbly chuckle that I can feel reverberate through his chest. He leans back up and we stare into each other's eyes. I can see the love and tenderness in his.

"Ranger I-" He cuts me off with a finger to my lips.

"Carlos, Babe, call Carlos. I'm done with my contract, and I want you to start to know the man behind the mask," he says, not moving his finger from my lips. He moves his hand so his thumb caresses my bottom lip. I open my mouth to say something but he shakes his head imperceptibly.

"Stephanie, I have been the biggest fool," he begins seriously, "I've kept you at arm's length, spewed bullshit about relationships when we've been in a relationship since the first day in the diner. I was scared. Hell, I'm still terrified. Terrified something will happen to you because of me. Terrified that you'll see the tarnished man that I am. But I love you, and I can't imagine not having you in my life. I want a real relationship with you. Please tell me, do I still have a chance?" He has one hand on my waist and the other hand is at my neck. He's stroking my neck with his thumb. I realize we've come to a standstill at a corner of the dance floor. Thankfully, no one is paying attention to us. I realize I'm taking too long to respond. I smile.

"Yes," I say softly, "yes, you still have a chance. You still have my whole heart." He grins at me again. His arm snakes all the way around my waist and crushes me to him. His other hand moves up and tangles in my hair as he tilts my head to the side. His lips move over mine and my eyes flutter closed. His lips are warm. I relish the taste of him. His tongue probes my lips, and I grant him access. Our tongues tangle together, and he presses me closer to his body. I moan into his mouth, and my body moves on its own accord. I move my hips against his body, and I feel his reaction to me. He breaks the kiss but the space between our bodies doesn't change. We're plastered to each other.

"Dios, Babe, what you do to me," he whispers, his eyes pitch black with desire, "I love you." I smile softly and reach up to touch his face. I rest my hand on his cheek and happy tears fill my eyes.

"I love you too," I reply knowing I mean it with every fiber of my being. He grins again before reclaiming my lips.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: I hope you all enjoy this chapter. A lil bit of smut towards the end. Please let me know what you think. Enjoy!

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Surefire by John Legend

 _"Cause I may not know a lot of things but_

 _I feel it in my chest_

 _Know I won't let the blue flame die_

 _We can't lose hope just yet_

 _'Cause it's once, just once in a lifetime_

 _And we're scared to love but it's alright_

 _I may not know a lot of things but_

 _I know that we're surefire, yeah_

 _Know that we're surefire, yeah"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 22: Full of Love**

Steph's POV

Carlos and I continue our exploring on the dance floor. My panties are ruined at this point, and his hand slides down my leg and back up again, his palm skimming over my butt and landing at the small of my waist. He pulls me closer and bumps his hips against mine. I let out a small groan and he pulls back. His pupils are completely dilated and his breathing is a bit labored. He rests his forehead against mine and we relax against each other like that for a moment. Of course, Lester can't leave us alone for long. He comes up from behind and slaps Ranger on the back.

"Finally got your head outta your ass, huh?" Les asks with a grin. I bite my lip to keep from laughing. I've never seen anyone speak to him like this. Thankfully, both Carlos and I have...calmed down. Carlos steps back and eyes Lester.

"Lester," Carlos says with a nod. Lester just rocks back on his heels and grins.

"Come on primo, you can't hog her all night. This is her night!" Les says punching him playfully on the shoulder. My eyes go wide and I look back and forth between the two. I must say I've never seen this dynamic before.

"Watch it, cousin," Carlos all but growls as he pulls me into his side. His hand trails up and down my bare shoulder causing a fire to race up my skin.

"Don't be a party pooper, Ric," Lester whines. I roll my eyes. Carlos looks down at me and presses a kiss to my forehead.

"You're right. Let's go say hi to everyone," Carlos says and we head to the outdoor seating area. I'm surprised to see most of the crew sitting back down. Only Sally is missing. All of the girls are grinning at me. I force myself to leave his side and go take a seat in between Mary Lou and Connie. I don't want to be away from Carlos considering it took us this long to finally admit our feelings for each other.

"Girl, the heat you two are admitting could set this place on fire!" Mary Lou exclaims, "plus you two were putting on quite the show." Connie nods in agreement, and I blush.

"He came in and admitted he's been stupid, said he wants a relationship with me and said that he loves me," I divulge with a giddy smile. They both squeal. We're busy chatting when someone clears their throat. Carlos is standing with a glass of champagne raised. One of the waiters passes out a glass of bubbly for the rest of us.

"Good evening everyone, I apologize for missing dinner. I'm happy to be here now. I just wanted to say Congratulations to Stephanie. I always knew you'd make your dreams come true. I'm so proud of you, Babe!" Carlos lifts the glass and we all take a sip.

"And, just so everyone knows-I love you, Stephanie Michelle Plum," Carlos continues. I swear my jaw hits the floor at his admission. Mary Lou nudges me to stand. Carlos holds out his hand and I take it. He pulls me to him and lays a steamy kiss on me. Our friends hoot and holler. I'm too tipsy to care. I can't believe Carlos Mañoso just admitted in front of everybody that he loves me. We break apart but he keeps an arm around me. I'm not sure if it's the alcohol, my supportive friends, or Carlos' arm around me but I'm full with a nice warm feeling. I snuggle into Carlos and squelch a yawn. He looks down at me and chuckles.

"Are you ready to get home?" he asks, his lips skimming the shell of my ear. I nod, my eyelids suddenly feeling like a thousand pounds. A quick glance shows the rest of the group is about ready to go as well. We file out and into the Hummer. I'm surprised when Carlos comes in after me. He sits down and pulls me on to his lap. He draws lazy circles on my thigh on the ride back. I never knew he'd be so publicly affectionate. I must say, I don't mind. I see Lula and Tank cuddled close, Xandra is sitting on Bobby and it looks like they're ready to get a room. Surprisingly, Connie and Lester are looking close as they chat. I hope he doesn't break her heart. Quinn, Mary Lou, Sally and the rest of the Merry Men are chatting. I smile at the scene around me and the wonderfully warm man behind me. He smells good too. I turn my head and my nose skims Carlos' neck. I inhale his unique smell. I love the Bvlgari soap he uses. The limo stops and Mary Lou is the first off the party car. She gives me a hug and promises to call in the morning. Next stop, the hotel for Quinn and Xandra. I'm unsurprised to see Bobby get off with her. I feel Ranger's lips on my ear.

"Babe, will you stay on seven with me tonight?" he asks before clarifying, "just to sleep." I turn my head and meet his lips with mine.

Before I know it, we're outside of RangeMan. I assume the limo idles at the curb due to the nightmare it would be getting out of the parking garage. Carlos gets out before me and then helps me down. The Merry Men trail behind us as we head into the building. Carlos' arm is draped over my shoulders. I lean into him on the elevator ride up. It's been so long since I've been up to his apartment. The guys say goodnight as they get off on five. We step out on seven and he unlocks his apartment. I don't know why I'm surprised he keeps his door locked in this secured building. He opens the door and everything looks the same. He drops his keys in the bowl beside his door. Carlos heads to the kitchen and pours two glasses of water. I follow behind him. He hands one to me and smiles softly. His hair has come loose and is hanging around his face. His eyes are like melted caramel chocolate.

"Look, Babe, I just want to be clear. I only ever met with Jeanne Ellen for the mission. I cannot stand her, and I just want to make sure you have no doubts," he informs me as he leans against the counter. I take my own sip of water to stall as I'm not sure what to say. Seeing him with Jeanne Ellen had been the catalyst to me saying no more to my mediocre life. While I was once intimidated by her, I know who I am now. She's still gorgeous sure, but Ranger has never lied to me, and I don't think he'd start now.

"Thank you for telling me that," I say looking up at him. I move closer to him and he puts a hand on mine.

"Look, Stephanie, I will be trying my best to be open with you. It's not my strong suit so you might have to remind me every now and then," he explains pressing a kiss on my neck. He sets our glasses down. He puts his hands around my waist and sets me on the counter. His hands skim my rib cage and his thumb flicks right over my nipple. I don't have time to wonder how he knew exactly where it was under the fabric of my dress. I moan as he does it again. He pulls back and rests his forehead against mine. His breathing is uneven.

"Babe, you drive me crazy with the slightest touch," he admits as he lays a trail of kisses from my temple, behind my ear lobe, down my neck, and on my shoulder. I moan as I wrap my legs around his waist. He carries us to the bedroom where he lays me down on his heavenly bed. He dips his head for another kiss. Our tongues tangle, and I writhe beneath him. He says I do something to him, well it's no secret he does something to me. His hand slides up my thigh and he pushes my dress up further. Carlos nibbles my lip and pulls back.

"Babe, I want to do this right. I want to woo you and take you on dates," he admits as his finger traces the edge of my panties. I let out a little moan.

"Ra-Carlos, we can do this right," I say as I struggle to maintain my composure, "but maybe we don't have to do it in the right order? I mean look at our relationship so far." He flashes a grin at me.

"Well, the part of me being an opportunist is still true," he replies as his fingers slip in my panties. He uses two fingers to stroke my wet folds.

"Dios Babe," he groans, "you're so wet." I moan as he pushes one finger inside of me. I wriggle underneath him. He adds a second finger and pumps in and out of me. He leaves a trail of hot kisses down my neck and follows the line of my v-neck. He grips the edge of my dress with his teeth and pulls the fabric over my breast even as he continues pumping in and out of me. His lips close around my nipple and my hips buck forward. He's driving me crazy. His tongue swirls around the pebbled peak and then he uses his teeth to graze my sensitive bud. He pumps his fingers faster and then uses his thumb to put pressure on my clit. I can't stop the moans as he continues his ministrations.

"Carlos," I pant as he brings me close to the edge, "I need you, please." He looks up at me with his dark eyes and he smiles. He continues at a faster pace and claims my lips in a passionate kiss. His tongue exploring my mouth. He takes his free hand and pinches my nipple between his fingers. He increases the pressure on my clit and rolls my nipple again. He continues until I'm a writhing mess before the combination drives me over the edge. I grip his shoulders as my hips continue bucking underneath him.

"Carlosss!" I moan as I reach the peak and one final pump pushes me over the edge. I'm trembling as he slides his fingers from me. I open my eyes and watch as he takes his drenched fingers and puts them in his mouth to suck them clean.

"Mmm, my favorite dessert," he says in a husky voice before he leans over and presses a kiss to my lips. I sigh in contentment. This is the first social orgasm I've had in...oh god...over a year. I push Carlos over and straddle his hips. I grab the edge of his sweater and start pulling it over his head. I throw his sweater to the floor and lean down to press a trail of kisses over his collar bone, his chest, belly button, and stomach. He groans underneath me and grips my arms. I duck my head back and claim his lips with mine. I use my nails and skim down the sides of his body. It works as intended as goosebumps break out. I smile and lean down to press kisses on his chest. I slide down and begin undoing the button on his pants. He helps me slide his pants all the way down. I'm not disappointed to find him commando and standing to attention. I press a kiss at the base of his shaft and he groans. I cup his sack in one hand, and I use my other one to guide him into my mouth. He moans in pleasure as I take him as deep as I can. I bob up and down using my tongue to drive him crazy. He hisses as my tongue strokes him. I can tell he's close. He grabs my arm and pulls me up his body. He flips us so he's on top. He stands for a moment and helps unzip my dress and slide my panties off. He presses a kiss to my lips.

"Are you sure you're ready?" he asks, his eyes warm and probing.

"Yes," I respond, laying back on the bed and pulling him on top of me. He sheathes himself with a condom before positioning over my entrance. He captures my lips in a kiss, and I tilt my hips up, allowing him to enter me in one smooth motion. I gasp as I adjust to his size. He stills immediately and his knuckles turn white as he grips the sheets.

"Carlos," I whisper in a breathy moan. I can't help my hips from starting to move on their own accord. I have one hand at the small of his back and the other wrapped around his bicep. He brushes a stray piece of hair out of my eyes and kisses my lips tenderly. He draws his hips back, pulling almost all the way out before thrusting into me again. I grip onto him as he begins a fast pace.

"Oh yes, yes," I moan as he continues. He moves his hand down to and presses on my clit as he continues driving me home.

"Cum with me, Babe," he groans as he thrusts deeper into me. My hand grabs his butt and my nails dig in as he goes even faster.

"CarlosCarlosCarlos," I chant as I near the edge. I reach down to squeeze his sack and we both explode together. I see stars behind my eyelids. He's covered by a sheen of sweat as he rests against me. The weight of him feels nice. I sigh contentedly and press a kiss to his chest. He rolls over and disposes of the condom.

"Mmm, that was nice," I purr as I stretch. Nothing like two Ranger induced orgasms. Top it off with love and life really can't get better. Carlos lays his head on the pillow and wraps an arm around me so I'm pressed against his side.

"Babe," he sighs, "I'll never get enough of you. I love you." I smile.

"I love you too," I reply. I've never been one to say I love you so easily, but with him, it does come easily.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Big thank you to all of my readers and especially my readers who review. It really makes my day! Also, encourages me to write more...so maybe I'm a review slut but I don't care. ;) Anyhoo, please enjoy a Ranger POV. I'm thinking several more chapters to go at this point although I only have 1 and half more written at this point. Please review! Enjoy!

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What Have I Done by Dermot Kennedy

" _I thought I'd be better off alone_

 _Now, my soul has been torn and reborn, started breathing_

 _What have I done?_

 _What have I done?_

 _I never thought I needed saving, I was right where I should be_

 _Good God, I know it's dangerous, but it's you that I need_

 _I'm in love this time_

 _I'm in love this time..."_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 23: On a Mission… to Make Her Mine**

Ranger's POV

I'm sitting in front of my former handler. We're in a conference room on the edge of Jersey. I keep my face blank and I stop myself from shaking my knee. I take a glance at my watch. Dios, I'm going to be late.

"Ranger, think about this please," Pete says for the third time since we entered the room, "you're the best at what you do." I arch a brow.

"I know," I reply, "but I'm out." He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. I do an internal smirk. This is why guys like him would never be out in the field.

"You'll never have to work with Jeanne Ellen again," he tries again before fiddling with his tie. I arch my brow again.

"Don't care. I'm done," I say again, crossing my arms over my chest, "You're wasting my time." Pete glances at the window on the wall. I wonder who put him up to this.

"Ranger, let's just think about this, please," Pete tries again, "You will be well paid. At most, one or two times a year."

"Listen to me Pete, I am not getting any younger," I inform him, "I have a thriving business and there's a woman out there I want to start a life with. I. am. done. Now, unless you have a severance package for me, I'll be on my way." I shove myself back from the table and head to leave the room. I open the door and pause.

"It's been good working with you, Pete," I say before leaving. Goddamn U.S. Government thinks they own you. Thankfully, my contract was up last month. I just had to finish that one last mission. I'm irritated that it's already almost 7 pm. Tank had texted me the time and place for Steph's celebration tonight. It's not something I want to miss. Damn, I'm so proud of her. My chest swells with pride as I think of everything she overcame and conquered. She's a hell of a woman.

I break several laws to get back to Trenton. Unfortunately, even speeding doesn't help much when there's an accident and standstill traffic. Steph would be so disappointed to see that my driving zone is broken. It's no surprise that it's because I'm trying to get to her. I'll still need to get to my apartment, shower and dress before I can head to the restaurant. I text Tank and he informs me that they're entrees just came out. I was supposed to be there for dinner. My hands clench the wheel. Finally, I see the crash coming up on my right side. As soon as I'm an appropriate distance away, I speed up. I weave in and out of cars. Several honk at me but I don't care. I'm a man on a mission.

I screech into the underground garage at Haywood. Thankfully, as it should be, my parking spot is open. I don't even bother to take the keys out of the ignition before I'm running up the steps to seven. As soon as I enter the door, I'm starting to strip off my all black clothes. I deposit everything into the laundry basket before jumping into the shower. After getting out of the shower, I slip on a pair of black slacks, and I know just the shirt. I open the top dresser drawer and pick out my unworn blue sweater. Ella picked it out for me a few weeks after Stephanie first stayed at the apartment. I think back to Steph's comment regarding seeing me in the blue suit, and I know she'll enjoy seeing me in this color. I slip my diamond stud into my earlobe and tie my hair back with a leather thong. I take a quick glance in the mirror before deeming myself acceptable. I grab my wallet and keys before jogging back down the steps. My heart is racing as I think of what I'm going to lay out on the line tonight.

I get into the Turbo and head off to the restaurant I know they're enjoying. Tank is keeping me updated by text. I think he's hoping this will get him out of mat time for not keeping me updated on Steph during my mission. I pull into the parking lot, and I take a deep cleansing breath in through my mouth before breathing out through my nose. I need to be more open if this is going to work. At least I know I'll never have to go back for another mission. I exit the Turbo, locking it before heading inside. The lighting is dim and the music is pulsing. Guess the restaurant is no more and it's club time.

My eyes adjust quickly and I begin sweeping the crowd. I'm hoping to catch a glimpse of the curly haired beauty. My eyes lock on her quickly. She's as beautiful as ever. And Lester is dancing with her. I clench my fist and let out a breath. I know she is not interested in him like that, but I know he loves her. I can tell she notices me because her hand goes to her neck. The song ends and her eyes lock on mine. I can't stop the smile from spreading across my face. Finally, I get to be with my Babe. Thankfully, Lester takes his cue and leaves. I guess he can tell Stephanie and I only have eyes for each other. I know exactly how I want to start this.

"I couldn't help staring at such a beautiful woman. My name is Carlos Mañoso, and you are?" I say using the same words as that night undercover. Only this time, I want her to know me, the man behind my badass Ranger persona. There's a time and place for each one, and now is the time for Stephanie to meet Carlos. She plays along and I can see the recognition of my words in her blue eyes. Dios, she is stunning. Unsurprisingly, it's an adjustment and I have to gently correct her as she tries calling me Ranger again. Ranger is for work. Ranger doesn't do relationships. I need her to understand that with her, I will always be Carlos now. I place a finger on her lips as I lay it out on the table.

I end, "Please tell me, do I still have a chance?" I can feel my heart in a vice grip as she stays staring into my eyes. She must have really been practicing her blank face because I can't tell what she's thinking. I'm getting worried since it's taking her so long to respond.

"Yes," she breathes softly, "Yes, you still have a chance. Yes, you still have my whole heart." Her words are music to my ears. I let out the breath I had been holding as relief floods my body. She still wants me. I move my arm to circle around her waist as I pull her as close as possible to my body before descending my lips on hers. I'm like a parched man in the desert as I move my lips against hers. She feels so good. I sweep my tongue against her lips and she grants me access immediately. Her body melts against mine and it's like it was perfectly molded for mine. My hand tangles in her hair, and I can feel my body responding. I'm just like a schoolboy when it comes to her. I push my pelvis into her, and I know she can feel my reaction. I pull my head back as I try to control my breathing. Our bodies stay fused together. I don't want to let her go now that I finally have her. I rest my forehead against hers. I love getting lost in those ocean blue eyes, especially when they're sparkling with love and passion.

The slap on my back does nothing but annoy me as I recognize my pesky cousin's voice.

"Finally got your head outta your ass, huh?" Les questions with a smirk. The only reason he's still breathing is because Tîa Rosalie would kill me and because I can see the amusement on my Babe's face.

"Lester," I warn as I give him a nod in greeting. He reminds me that I shouldn't be hogging her since it's her celebratory night. He's not wrong. I do have a plan. I want to say a few words in front of our friends. I realize most of the people here are her friends, but it's nice knowing how many RangeMen she considers among her friends. I give Les a little more shit so he knows I don't appreciate him talking to me in that way in front of my woman. He's lucky we're related otherwise I wouldn't tolerate it at all.

We walk outside, and I find the rest of the group sitting around a fire pit. Stephanie moves out of my arms to sit between Mary Lou and Connie. I ensure everyone has a glass of champagne before I make a little toast. After everyone finishes their sip of champagne, I make another announcement.

"And, just so everyone knows-I love you, Stephanie Michelle Plum," I finish my announcement with a smile. I'm sure everyone is shocked to hear me say it so publicly. I just want to make sure everyone knows she's officially mine. Connie and Mary Lou push Steph over to me, and I wrap her in my arms before planting a kiss on her rosy lips. I've never met a woman who could make me so unaware and vulnerable as Stephanie. The hooting and hollering continues, and I smirk as we finish off our kiss. Steph's eyes are sparkling and her lips are swollen. She yawns and I know it's about that time. I want to spend every night with her, and I'm relieved when she agrees to stay with me on seven. I don't want to give her the wrong impression. I may want her in my bed, but I need her more than just for sex.

I send a quick text to Ram so he and Hal can come pick up the Turbo. Nothing could separate me from Stephanie at this moment. Her sitting on my lap covers the way my body reacts to her and also makes it a sweet kind of torture.

We make it back to RangeMan and up to seven without incident. There's a few things I want to clear up with Steph before anything else progresses between us. I grab two glasses and fill them with water. I'm not sure how much she drank before I arrived tonight, but I know how alcohol affects her. She gives me a smile as I hand it over to her.

I then clear the air regarding Jeanne Ellen Burrows. I can see the relief in Stephanie's eyes. I'm not sure if she thought anything else happened between us, but I didn't want there to be any doubt. She thanks me and moves closer. I put my hand over hers.

"Look, Stephanie, I will be trying my best to be open with you. It's not my strong suit so you might have to remind me every now and then," I say hoping she'll understand any struggles I have with her going forward. Her blue eyes are shining like crystal clear water. I put our waters down and grab her waist before hoisting her up on the counter. I can feel my erection grow at the slight feel of her against me. I kiss her. As much as I want her, I also want to make up for all of the bullshit from the past couple years. I want to take her on real dates. I don't expect anything from her now, but she doesn't seem content with that.

"Babe, you drive me crazy with the slighest touch," I groan as she shifts against me. I lift her and carry to her to the bedroom where I gently lay her on the bed. She's truly a vision with her rosy cheeks, just kissed lips, hair fanned around her face and her eyes sparkling.

"Ra-Carlos, we can do this right," Steph responds, correcting herself before saying Ranger, "but maybe we don't have to do it in the right order? I mean look at our relationship so far." She's not wrong and I'm an opportunist.

I look down at her as she lays on my bed. Her curls are fanned out around her head and I can see the pebbled buds of her breasts beneath the tight blue dress. My fingers have crawled up her creamy thighs. Her dress has been pushed up. I play with the edge of her lacy thong.

"Well, the part of me being an opportunist is still true," I say before sliding one finger in between her wet folds. I groan as I feel her and my dick becomes even stiffer than before. I slide two fingers into her easily, and she whimpers at my touch.

"Dios Babe," I mutter, "you're so wet." I pump my fingers in and out of her feeling satisfied as she reacts to me. I move down and press a trail of wet kisses along her neck. I'm holding my body weight mostly off of her with one hand as my other is busy at her center. Her hips start bucking against me. I am in between her breasts now. I'll have to remind her to wear this dress more often. I quickly use my teeth to pull back the fabric before my lips latch onto her nipple. I lath it with my tongue as my fingers work faster. Her breathing is coming in short pants. I bite gently down on her rosy bud, and she jerks even harder against me before moaning my name. I move the pad of my thumb over her clit and gently build pressure. She grinds against my fingers, helping to push her closer to the edge. Just watching her makes me want to cream my pants. I work it a little more before she grips me tightly and screams my name as she comes undone.

Her thighs are trembling as I slide my fingers out of her hot center. She opens her eyes and her eyes track me closely as I lift my dripping fingers into my mouth. Her chest is moving heavily and her tongue darts out to moisten her lips. I slowly suck her juices off of my fingers.

"Mmm, my favorite dessert," I murmur before moving into capture her lips once more. I'm surprised when Stephanie decides to take control. Of course, I let her move me as she straddles my hips. My dick is throbbing painfully at this point, but I want to take our time. This will just be the beginning. She slowly takes my sweater off before peppering my throat and chest with kisses. I'm surprised at my reaction when she runs her nails up and down my torso. The sensation causes me to suck in a breath and for goosebumps to break out across my body. This causes her to shoot me a satisfied smirk before continuing her exploration. She quickly works the button on my pants and has me naked before her. My hard on is saluting her proudly, begging for her to touch me. She presses a kiss to the base of my shaft causing a groan to come from my lips. She moves slowly, torturously before licking me quickly and taking me all the way into her mouth. I hiss and my hips thrust forward, but she's not deterred. She cups my balls and massages me with her hand. Her tongue feels like heaven. I'm getting so close. I grab her arms and quickly flip up so she's underneath me once more. I look into those expressive eyes. All I find is love and desire. My chest swells. How the hell did I get lucky enough to deserve her?

"Are you sure you're ready?" I question, not wanting her to feel pressured or unsure. I so badly want to consummate our promises to each other, but not if she's not ready. She answers me quickly in a firm voice. No hesitation. I quickly roll on a condom before positioning myself at her center. I move my dick over her wet slit twice before stilling above her. I lean down and capture her lips with mine. Unexpectedly, as I kiss her, she tilts her hips up causing me to enter her in one smooth motion. I have to still myself at the feel of her tight, hot pussy wrapped around my dick. I breathe heavily as I try not to blow my load like an inexperienced teenager. I'm gripping the sheets tightly. Her nipples tighten as she adjusts to me being inside her. She becomes impatient and her hips start moving. Once I'm under control, I tuck a curl behind her ear before kissing her once more and setting a fast pace. She moans excitedly as I pump in and out easily. I can feel my dick throbbing and her tightening as our orgasms build. I move my hand down so I can play with her clit.

"Cum with me Babe," I say gruffly as I pound into her. This first time is not going to be a long one, we'll have plenty of time for soft and slow later. She chants my name and I can feel her nails digging into my ass. This spurs me on even more, and two more thrusts and we've both gone over the edge together. I slide out of her and quickly tie and dispose the condom. She nuzzles into my side. I smile. I'll never get enough of her and I say as much.

"I love you too," she replies with a sigh. I smile. We were both a bit commitment-phobic and now here we were. She falls asleep first, and I'm content feeling her warmth against me.

I wake up around six and smile. Steph has managed to lay directly on top of me at some point during the night. She's snoring softly and her head of curls is right under my chin. I relax and enjoy her sleeping. A little later, I gently move her and she barely stirs. I make my way to the kitchen where I start some coffee and begin making breakfast. I make some pancakes for Steph along with eggs. I put some turkey bacon on. I leave the bacon in the pan as I decide today is the best time. The rest of the food is warming, and I head to my study. I bend down to open the safe behind my desk. The safe opens with a soft click. I reach in and pull out the black velvet box. I open it, just to remind myself of what's inside. It's a princess cut diamond with two sapphires clustered around it. I can't believe I bought this so long ago, but I saw it and knew I had to keep it for if this moment ever came. I slip it into my pocket before heading back to the kitchen. I make a call to Ella, and she's eager to help. I know this is sudden, but I've had this ring for almost as long as I've known Steph, and I'm just not content to wait any longer. Looking at the clock, I'm surprised that the smell of food hasn't woken Steph yet. A soft knock at the door comes and I find Ella there with a big grin on her face. She hands me the small pitcher she filled with orange juice and champagne.

"Finally," she says in that motherly tone. I smile at her and thank her.

Just as I've set the table for two, a bleary eyed Steph wearing one of my t-shirts emerges from the room. I'm tempted to greet her properly and not get out of bed for another hour.

"Carlos?" she questions, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She's adorable. I walk over, wrap an arm around her waist and place a kiss on her mouth.

"Good morning Sleeping Beauty," I greet, pulling out a chair for her. I pour her a cup of coffee and fix it the way she likes. I then fix both of our plates. Her has three pancakes, three pieces of turkey bacon and two scrambled eggs with cheese. She smiles up at me gratefully.

"Thanks for breakfast, Carlos," she says between bites, "also, I never got to tell you yesterday, but I loved seeing you in color. I hope to see more of that." I smile and reply, feeling a tightness in my stomach knowing what I'm about to do. I'm eating egg whites and two pieces of sprouted grain toast with a side of fruit. We finish eating in a companionable silence. I think we're both too content to do more than enjoy the other's company. She's polishing off the rest of the bacon as I get up to fill two champagne glasses. I hand her a flute filled with mimosa, and she looks at me with questioning eyes. I smile as I drop to one knee. She gasps and a hand flies to her mouth.

"Babe, Stephanie, we've never had a traditional relationship," I begin, "I don't want to waste any more precious time. I want to give you my last name and everything I can offer. Will you do the honor of marrying me?" I finish and open the black box. I see tears fill her eyes but they don't spill over. She takes a shaky breath.

"Yes, yes," she whispers with a smile as one tear breaks loose and trails down her cheek. I grin and take the ring and slide it on her finger. She places the glass down and I pull her to me for a crushing embrace. Our tongues tangle and she moans against me. We pull back, and I sit next to her. We each take a sip of the mimosa. She grins as she looks over at me.

"Don't think you get out of going on dates because of this," she states, her eyes narrowing. I know a threat when I hear one. I give her my 100-watt grin.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Babe."


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Thank you for all of the reviews! I'm glad so many of you enjoy this story. It has been a labor of love. I find that the closer to the end I get...the less I want it to end. Smut warning for this chapter. I don't mark it because I don't like interrupting the flow of the story so if it's not your cup of tea please scroll past. Please let me know what you think. Enjoy!

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I Have Nothing by Whitney Houston

 _"You see through_

 _Right to the heart of me_

 _You break down my walls_

 _With the strength of your love_

 _I never knew_

 _Love like I've known it with you..._

 _This passion inside_

 _I can't run from myself_

 _There's nowhere to hide_

 _Your love I'll remember forever"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 24: Ain't that a Pip**

Steph's POV

I can hear the murmur of the crowd die down as the music begins. I take a deep breath as we walk through the doors. I can feel all eyes on me. This last year has been amazing. I get to the front and take my place next to the priest. I hold the bouquet in one hand as I adjust my dress. Everyone else takes their place and my eyes lock with Carlos. He shoots me an encouraging smile.

"Thank you for all bearing witness to this union," the priest begins, and my smile widens. I never thought this day would come. My eyes move over and meet those of Quinn. He made it as one of the groomsmen. He gives me a big grin. Then the vow ceremony begins. My mom should be happy. It's a huge ceremony and both the groom and bride's side are full of friends and family. My parents are sitting in the first pew. Valerie is up here with me along with Annie.

"I, Nicolas, take thee, Edna, to be my wedded wife to have and to hold from this day forward. I promise to love and cherish you in sickness and in health until death do us part," he says with his eyes shining as he slides the ring on Grandma's finger. I feel so happy for the two of them. Now, it's Grandma's turn.

"I, Edna, take thee, Nicolas, to be my lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward. I promise to love you, I promise to cherish you, and I promise hot sex in sickness and in health until death do us part," she recites with a cheeky grin and a glint in her eyes. She puts the ring on his finger. The priest finishes off and pronounces them husband and wife. Grandma looks beautiful in her dress, and Sally did her makeup so of course, it looks fabulous. Carlos catches my eye and I can see the mirth in his. We watch Nicolas and Grandma embrace as though they're both twenty and married for the first time. I glance down to my left hand and admire my wedding rings.

After Carlos proposed, we were engaged for about two months. He took us back to the diner where we first met, on the same day exactly five years later for our anniversary. He kept his word and had taken me on many dates by then. He's quite the romantic. After we shared a meal and a slice of pie at our diner, we went to the courthouse and eloped. It was perfect. We've been married for a month tomorrow. Surprisingly, my mom wasn't even mad. My family was so shocked and my dad commented on how truly happy I looked when we went to dinner at the house that Friday. Dad's one comment got my mom to shut up all evening and every day after that.

Now, Grandma gets her happy ending too. She confided in me that she didn't marry Grandpa Mazur for love, and they had a very small ceremony because they couldn't afford anything more. The happy couple walks out of the church together and we crowd to watch them leave. Carlos comes to my side and grabs my hand. He pulls our hands to his mouth and presses a kiss on mine.

"I love you, Babe," he says, as we follow the crowd to the front of the church. The newlyweds wave before getting in the back of a white limo. I lean into my husband and smile. Everyone starts making their way to the cars so we can head over to the VFW for the reception.

The hall is crowded with Grandma and Nicolas' guests. A buzz of conversation and noise is filling the air. Carlos has his fingers entwined with mine, and I press into his side. I find any time we're out we enjoy having contact of some kind. I know we're in the "honeymoon" phase of our marriage, but I hope it doesn't end. Speaking of honeymoons, I'm excited to say that in six weeks Carlos is taking me on ours. I've been working hard trying to figure out what he has planned.

"Stephanie, Carlos!" my mother calls, "we have to get a few pictures!" Dutifully, we head to the back room. Grandma is beaming and it looks like she'll have to redo her lipstick. Nicolas is also grinning from ear to ear and readjusting his tie. I have a sneaking suspicion that they got in a quickie on the way here. Carlos looks down at me and grins. I punch him in the shoulder and bite my lip.

"Alright, over here you two," my mom frets, motioning for us to join on Grandma's side. Nicolas has his son and daughter-in-law along with his very young granddaughter on his side. At least one of his kids is still alive and not in jail. Honestly, Quinn and I were surprised Nicolas welcomed us with open arms and was happy that we put Ian behind bars. Talk about strained family relations. The Plum side makes us lopsided so the photographer has us even out. After taking a million pictures, we're finally done. Grandma grabs my hand and pulls me into a hug.

"Thanks, baby granddaughter for showing me how to live," Grandma says as she has me in her embrace. I smile and hug her back.

"Well, I learned from the best," I reply giving her a meaningful look as she steps back. Honestly, if it weren't for Grandma Mazur I'm not sure how I would have made it through growing up in the 'Burg. I truly do have her to thank. She then gives Valerie a hug next.

We file out of the room and join the rest of the guests. I swear, it feels like the whole neighborhood is in the room. Carlos and I grab a glass of wine as we make our way into the crowd.

"Look at what we have here," a familiar voice drawls, "Ranger the mighty thug playing house." I turn around in disgust to see a drunk and slovenly Joe Morelli. His hair is greasy and mussed up and he has a five o'clock shadow even though it's not even close to 5, and he has deep purplish-black bags under his eyes. I take a deep breath willing myself to remain calm. I don't want to make a scene on my Grandma's big day. From the local gossip, it seems that after my big FBI announcement, Joe has slid further and further into his father's footsteps. It's been sad considering before this past year he was actually a pretty decent guy. I didn't even think he was invited to the wedding or reception.

"Morelli," Carlos warns in a low voice as he tries to advert the scene. As if sensing a disturbance, Quinn appears by my side.

"Aw, come off your high horse! Stop acting like you're better than everyone else when you're nothing but a two-bit killer for hire who just married Steph here 'cause she's an easy lay," Morelli continues, stumbling a bit to the side, "How many side pieces you have around the city?" I can feel my blood starting to boil, but Carlos' hand in mine is like an anchor. I don't know how he manages, but he actually sends me calming vibes. He looks down at me before applying pressure on the back of my hand with his thumb.

"Joe, you should turn around and leave now," I say hoping to appeal to whatever rational side is left. He lets out a loud laugh.

"Come on, Cupcake! You can't tell me you think he's faithful. It's not like you're good in bed. Why do you think I always went back to Terry? Why do you think Dickie was with Joyce?" I feel a stab in my chest at his words, but I straighten my shoulders. Carlos is not Joe or Dickie. He's one thousand percent better. I can feel our scene starting to draw a little crowd. Great, just what I didn't want.

"Morelli, please have some self-respect and walk away," Carlos says as he stays diplomatic. Honestly, being in the FBI and having zen-Carlos has really helped me manage my temper.

"Self-respect? You stole my woman!" he slurs before narrowing his eyes. I can see the move before he makes it. I quickly kick out a leg to trip him as I catch his fist and quickly twist his arm behind his back like I would on a takedown. Joe grunts in pain, and Quinn quickly gets on the other side to help restrain him. As quietly as possible, we walk him to the nearest exit. Of course, he's thrashing and yelling out curse words.

"Get off of me you fuckers," Joe shouts struggling. Unfortunately, Grandma catches on and comes to observe.

"Joseph Morelli," she says looking unamused, "you weren't invited! Get outta here before I call your Grandmother." Now, Grandma doesn't even like Grandma Bella but I know she's serious. Joe glares but stays silent. At least he's not stupid enough to disrespect Grandma on her special day.

Once that problem is taken care of we get back to the reception. Everyone settles down, speeches are made, and then we begin dinner. Carlos and I are at the table with Grandma, Nicolas, mom and dad, and Nicolas' son and daughter-in-law. Valerie along with Albert and the kids got relegated to another table. We finish dinner and the MC gets the microphone for the first dance. They picked Frank Sinatra's "What Are you Doing for the Rest of Your Life?." The opening notes start and they move together across the floor. I feel so happy for Grandma. The way Nicolas looks at her is the way Carlos looks at me. A smile finds its way to my face, and I can't help but glance at the man I love. When I look over, I notice he's already looking at me. I can see the love and adoration in his warm chocolate eyes. He mouths 'I love you' before we turn our attention back to the dance. At the end of the dance, everyone starts clinking glasses and Nicolas lays a steamy one on Grandma.

"Aaaand, now," the MC begins, "the groom will remove the garter!" Everyone stifles a groan. I don't think either of them notices. Grandma cackles and claps her hands together as a chair is placed in the middle of the dance floor. Nicolas faces the crowd and raises his eyebrows a couple times suggestively. At least they're enjoying themselves. Mary Lou has found her way to my side and giggles in my ear.

"Wow Steph, I hope Lenny and I will be this into each other when we get to that age," Lou says with a smile and then she nudges Carlos, "and you better keep up with Steph here." He can't help the smirk that comes to his face. I blush. The smirk turns into a wolf grin.

"All I can hope is that she doesn't kill me," he replies before placing a chaste kiss on my lips. Even this causes Mary Lou to fan herself.

"That's my cue to find my man," Lou mutters, "thank god his mother agreed to watch the kids tonight!" As Mary Lou walks away, I feel Carlos' fingers walking up my thigh. His wolf grin is still in place and my stomach still does a flip flop at the sight. He uses his other hand to crook a finger at me. I lean in and he puts his mouth on my ear.

"Babe, just in case you were wondering, Morelli was wrong about you," he breathes, causing shivers to run up my spine, "I'll never get tired of you." My tongue darts out to wet my lips. I appreciate his comment even though I stopped letting Morelli and comments like that get to me a while ago. I glance to see if anyone is paying attention to us before placing my own hand on his thigh.

"I'll never get tired of you either...wanna meet me in the bathroom in ten seconds so I could show you?" I ask brazenly. There's something about the confidence and desire Carlos makes me feel that brings out the wild in me. His grin broadens and his pupils dilate. He nips my earlobe.

"Babe," he murmurs. I take his response as a yes as I get up from my seat and head for the restroom. Thankfully, there's a restroom in the back that is private. The rest of the guests will go to the main restrooms so we should be undisturbed. I make it to the restroom without being stopped.

I feel giddy with anticipation and butterflies are swirling in my stomach. A few moments later two knocks sound at the door. I bite my lip as I crack it open. Carlos' face is peering at me with a wolf grin. He glances backward before making his way inside. He locks the door before sidling up to me. He stands so close and looks down at me. My breath hitches and he wraps a hand in my curls as he tilts my head and brings his lips to mine. He licks my lips with his tongue before I grant him access and his tongue delves into my mouth. I moan against him. His hand roams down and pulls my dress up. My hands go to his belt and start undoing his pants.

"We better make this quick," I pant as I stroke his shaft, "don't want anyone to notice." He groans and thrusts against my hand. His fingers find their way under my panties and he strokes me with two fingers. I moan and he swallows it with a kiss. I squirm and grind against his fingers. He slowly withdraws.

"Babe, rest your hands on the sink," he says, positioning me so I'm leaning most of my weight against the sink so my ass is jutted out towards him. He caresses me and even leans down and nips my butt cheek with his teeth. I gasp as he places a kiss directly where he just nipped. He slowly rubs his cock over my slick folds, and I hear him groan. He presses a kiss below my ear as he slides inside me from behind. With one hand on my hip, his other hand goes to knead my breast and pinches my nipple. I can't help the moans coming from my mouth, and I start moving my hips to set a pace.

"Dios, Babe," Carlos breathes directly into my ear. His hot breath causes goosebumps to rise on my skin. He pumps in and out of me, going faster and faster. My knuckles are turning white as I grip the porcelain, and I'm slightly worried we might break the sink before we're through. The combination of making love to my husband and know we're in a slightly public place manages to turn me on even more. I can feel a gush of wetness from my center, and I can feel myself tighten around Carlos' throbbing cock.

"Carlos," I moan, "faster." He feels so good filling me. I used to hate having sex from behind, mostly because I was used to men trying to enter the wrong hole. I never have to worry with Carlos, and he's never mentioned it. He moves his hand and grabs both hips as he helps pull me back harder and thrust deeper. He lets out a deep grunt. He's entering me so deeply I can feel him hitting my womb. It's a delicious feeling.

"Stephanie, I'm close," he groans through clenched teeth. I look at him using the mirror and his face is concentrated with pleasure.

"Push us over the edge together," I moan as he thrusts into me again. He slips his hand down and pinches my clit between his thumb and forefinger. I let out a loud wail, and he gives one final thrust that fills me completely. We cry out at the same time and my legs are feeling like jelly. He moves his hips a little more as I milk him dry. I can feel his seed shooting inside me and it causes me to tighten against him again. Feeling my spasms, he reaches down and gently rubs my clit causing me to orgasm again on the spot. I moan against him as my legs tremble, and I grip the sink tightly. Thankfully, Carlos has one arm around my waist that's helping keep me up. Carlos brushes my now damp curls away from my neck and presses soft kisses before laying a steamy one on my mouth.

"Wow Babe," he breathes, his eyes still dilated, "that was unexpected." I grin wickedly before shrugging.

"What can I say? My husband brings out the nympho in me," I reply before stretching up to kiss his lips. He kisses me tenderly before he slides out of me. I can feel his seed start to seep down my leg. He quickly hands me some tissue.

As we're cleaning up a knock sounds on the door. It startles me and I jump a little. Carlos responds, and I try not to laugh. Once he's good, he opens the door a crack and sneaks out. I hear him speak with someone, and my eyes widen as I make sure to relock the door. I actually use the bathroom before going to exit. I check my reflection in the mirror. My eyes are sparkling, my cheeks are flushed and I look thoroughly fucked. I can't stop the grin on my face. Hopefully, whoever was knocking on the door has found another bathroom.

Unfortunately, I'm not lucky and I open the door to find Grandma Mazur waiting. She laughs gleefully when she sees me.

"Baby granddaughter, was that Carlos I saw leave before you?" she questions with a glint in her eyes. I feel a blush rising on my cheeks. There's nothing like getting caught in the afterglow of sex by your Grandma...and on her wedding day no less.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I say trying to sound innocent. She laughs again before placing a hand on my arm and winking.

"You get it from me," she replies before slipping into the bathroom. I'm heading back into the reception when Nicolas slips past me. My eyes widen in realization. Oh god. They're about to do the same thing Carlos and I just did. The mental picture is not one I needed. Ewwww. Thankfully, Carlos whisks me onto the dance floor before I can fully get into those thoughts. We spin around the floor and he smiles at me.

"Dios Babe, you are so beautiful," he says softly, his chocolate eyes warm and full of love, "thank you for being mine." I smile up at him.

"I love you, Carlos," I reply, "thank you for being mine." We stay in each other's arms on the dance floor as the music continues.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Am I the worst or what? Honestly, not sure how happy I am with this ending, but I didn't want to drag it out any longer. I wanted this first half of this chapter to just show the danger/unconventionality of the job. The second half to wrap up the solid foundation they have. Please let me know what you think. Thank you for everyone who has followed through to the end. I hope I haven't disappointed you. Any mistakes are mine and mine alone. Please review! Until next time...

* * *

Tightrope by Michelle Williams

 _"Some people long for a life that is simple and planned_  
 _Tied with a ribbon_  
 _Some people won't sail the sea 'cause they're safer on land_  
 _To follow what's written_  
 _But I'd follow you to the great unknown_  
 _Off to a world we call our own"_

Defining Moments

 **Chapter 25: Home is with You**

Steph's POV

1.5 Years Later

"Quinn," I whisper into the comms unit at my ear, "I'm not seeing anyone so far." My eyes sweep the grey cement warehouse in the dim lighting. I have my gun and flashlight drawn, making a pathway for me to see. My heart is pounding in my chest but my breathing is even. My flak vest rustles subtly, but it's better to wear it than not. My partner Quinn is entering from the other side of the building. We have been on this job for about a month and a half now. We're in upstate New York, far from real civilization. We've been following Vito Grizoli's second-hand man Tony Gilman.

Sound familiar? It should as he's the father of a certain Trenton cop's bed companion. This job isn't my favorite considering it will likely be a big downfall for the Biggest Ass of Trenton and his high school sweetheart the Mob Princess. Not that I care if Joe goes down anymore-he's done a fine job of that himself, but I know the Burg will likely blame me. Who am I kidding though? The Burg already blames me, not Joe's piss poor personality and own choices. They just see a woman in a man's job with a husband but no children. How ghastly! I shake my head to clear my thoughts.

We're after the Grizoli's and Gilman's now because a lead came in that they're newly supplying guns and drugs to all gangs in the Tristate area. It's causing a lot of havoc. The drugs also seem to be bad as the number of overdoses have climbed.

A rustle of movement catches my attention, and I turn too slow. Pain spreads through my head and down my spine. I fall to the floor like a sack of flour. My gun and flashlight clatter away. I try stretching to reach it but I'm seeing double and keep grasping for the wrong one. Feet come near me and I'm too clumsy with the head injury to move farther away when another blow comes.

I groan. My head is throbbing something fierce. I want to open my eyes but the sheer force of will that takes makes it near impossible. I open them a crack and a slice of light makes me reel backwards and shut them again. A tinkling laughter makes its way to my ears and it's like a bucket of ice water, chills running down my spine. I take a deep breath as I try to take in as much of my surroundings as I can without sight.

It smells damp, and it's dark. I have a suspicion whoever is in here with me used a flashlight pointed at my face. My captor, if only one is female. My hands and feet are bound. The floor is concrete. I rub my wedding rings with my thumb. I notice it's something I do when I feel stressed. I also notice my flak vest is missing. I choke down the lump in my throat. I'm kicked, not so gently, in the ribs. My breath is forced out of my chest. The pain is blinding.

"I know you're awake, bitch," the callous voice says as I roll and clutch my side. The voice is familiar but the throbbing in my head and the piercing pain in my side stops me from being able to place her. I'm hoping either my partner or my husband knows I'm missing at this point. I don't even know how long I've been out. I force a breath in through my clenched teeth before opening my eyes again. I have to blink a few times to ensure my eyes aren't playing tricks on me.

"Surprised, _Cupcake_?" she sneers, venom dripping from her words. Her blond hair is pulled back in a short ponytail. I never expected Terry would have been stupid enough to do this. I know we're going after her father and family, but she's going to get extra time for assaulting and kidnapping a Federal Agent.

"Terry," I rasp out, the air rattling my ribs and causing me to hiss. I'm pretty sure one of my ribs cracked. She's glaring at me with her hazel eyes. She looks crazed, and I wonder when she finally snapped.

"You ruined my Joey, stole him from me and then discarded him," she begins as she waves a handgun up and down. My eyes are drawn to the track marks at the crook of her elbow. She has several sites where she must have been injecting herself with drugs. I remain silent as the anger flashes in her eyes. I don't need another kick or worse.

"Now, you have the gall to go after my family," she seethes, pacing back and forth, "you're trying to take everything from me." I try to adjust slightly and pain shoots through my side. I jerk from the pain which causes the throbbing in my head to increase. I think I may have a tracker or button in my earring. I shift my eyes around the room trying to figure out where I am. Terry has clearly fallen far. I notice now she's thinner and has dark purple circles under her eyes while both arms contain needle sticks. It's no wonder she thought this would be a good idea.

We seem to be underground. The only light is coming from a single Coleman lantern she has sitting on a plastic chair ten feet from where I sit.

"You're impressive Terry," I say, hoping my flattering tactic works. She looks nonplussed, so I go on.

"You've been keeping your family business afloat, helping Joe, and you managed to knock me out and bring me back...here," I say moving my eyes around in a sweeping motion since my hands are unavailable. "Where is here exactly?" She smirks.

"Remote woods. New York's version of the Pine Barrens," she says before laughing, "and the last place you'll ever see alive."

"How does it feel to know that no one will know what happened to you? Stephanie Plum disappeared never to be found again?" she giggles and the hair on my arm raises again. Wow, the drugs have really changed her. She used to be an attractive, vibrant, and mostly smart woman. Now she's strung out, crazed and a boney lunatic. I really need to be careful as she's likely unstable. The New York Pine Barrens. Another involuntary shudder goes through me at the thought. This means it's likely been 12 hours at least since I was last seen. How was she able to get me all the way out here? I shift on my tailbone and wince again at the pain. Terry's eyes narrow and she tracks me like a hawk. I work the rope down. She didn't do a great job… color me shocked. Hmm, I think I can feel the small knife I keep in my sock. Terry really didn't do as thorough of a job as she thought. I see her twitch before pulling a phone out of her pocket. She glances over at me before moving closer to the chair and pacing. She types something out on the phone and quickly shoves it back into her pocket. She looks on edge and paces again. I have a feeling she might be itching for another fix. I shift slightly but have to pause to breathe and stop the spinning in my head. I'm really struggling. I am pretty sure I have a concussion and a bad one at that if the nausea is any indication. I'm also fighting the urge to shut my eyes and go to sleep, but I can't. If I let go who knows what Terry might have planned for me.

I get a good distraction when her cell phone rings. She gives me one glance and turns her back to me. I quickly bend against the pain, careful not to make any noise, and work the knife out of my sock. I'm biting my lip to keep from crying out. My head is throbbing and my vision is blurring. Tears come to my eyes from the effort and pain. I can feel my fingers gripping the edges of the knife, and I hear Terry faintly over the beating of my own heart. She's still occupied which gives me enough time to get the knife the rest of the way in my hand. Once I have it fully grasped, I finally let in a breath of air which causes me to groan. I can immediately see Terry focusing on me, but I can't make myself care. I lay back even though it's awkward on my hands. Everything hurts. I can barely think. I hope Quinn is okay. I close my eyes and breathe shallowly. I'm simultaneously trying to ensure I don't hurt my ribs or my head. I hear Terry walk over, but I can't make my eyes cooperate. I flinch as she stops near me. She laughs and I think I'm okay, but she kicks me in the ribs again. I scream out in pain. I almost drop the knife as the white hot pain sears through the right side of my body. I take a halting breath and open my eyes. Terry is grinning.

"Not so tough or smart now, are you?" she questions before the phone calls her attention again, "Hurry up, goddammit!" She's back to pacing at the other side of the room. The pain is radiating from my chest. Now it's really difficult to breathe. Who knew tweakers had that much strength? I count slowly to calm myself. One...two...three...four. The air comes hissing through my clenched teeth. I think she may have actually broken a rib with the last kick. Terry shouts and she's suddenly exiting from a door I didn't see before. It's on the far side of the room behind the lantern. I have to move quickly. I moan in pain as I open the knife and quickly work it on the rope on my hands. I hiss as I accidentally cut my hand. I continue on and wince in pain once I finally have them free. I waste no time except for a few more deep breaths as I work on my ankles.

I have no idea who she was talking to on the phone or who might be joining us. I send a little prayer hoping for Quinn's assistance or even Ranger's. I could really use them right now. I finally have the rope on my ankles done. The door creaks and I quickly lay back. The rope is still over my feet as though tied. I clutch the knife tightly in my hand and against my back. I watch as Terry comes in alone. Her eyes are lit up and she's carrying a bag in her hand. She waves the gun and points it at me.

"You make any moves and I'll blow your head off," she states, "we're going for a little ride." She waves the paper bag in her other hand. My mind is racing. I can barely keep my head up. It feels like a thousand pounds. I watch, almost disconnected from my body, as she moves the lantern, sits down, and carefully puts the gun in between her knees, barrel towards me. I watch as she unloads her paper bag: a vial, lighter, spoon, and a syringe. She looks up at me with a smile.

"Sooo, wanna tell me how much you know about my dad's operation?" she questions, working with her drug tools. "It's not nice to go after your neighbors." She pretends to pout as she pours the powder into the spoon.

My stomach rolls at the thought of watching her do this. I feel so close to vomiting and black dots float in my vision. I suck in a breath through my nose and let it out of my mouth. I close my eyes as I try to push back the nausea. Once I have it under control, I see she's already working on lighting up the underside of the spoon. My best chance at getting her is when she is injecting herself.

"My daddy's worried you'll take everything from us," she continues on, oblivious to me, "I told him you have no idea about the beach house yet."

I slowly sit up. She doesn't even notice as she's concentrating. I bite my lip to keep from crying out in pain and taste blood-at least it's better than drawing her attention to me. I'm in a squat and I gently brush my fingers against my tender right side. My heart is beating quickly. My fingers feel stiff as they're curled around my blade. She's about to inject herself and as the needle touches her skin, I push myself up. I rush her as fast as I can. Unfortunately, even distracted she moves fast. She quickly finishes shooting herself up and the gun clatters to the ground. I manage to dive and slash her in the thigh. I scream as I make contact with the pavement.

My left hand grasps for the gun. I make contact, but scream out like a wounded banshee as she stabs me with her needle. I feel remnants of her drugs being pushed into my arm. Thankfully, my training is ingrained in me, and I'm able to grab her arms and leverage her over to the pavement. She's dealing with an intravenous high while she just got me sub-q. She's unsteady due to the rush she's probably feeling. Her entire eyes are black from her pupils dilating. I won't be able to last much longer. I grab the plastic chair and smash her over the back with it. She barely makes any noise as she kisses the pavement. I quickly bend down and try to find keys or her phone from her pocket. She groans but doesn't move. I shout as I find the keys, and happier still when I make contact with her phone. I shove the keys into my pocket, move back, scoop up the gun, and run as fast as I can towards the door. My run is more like a sad walk, but it's the best I can do. I don't glance back. I look around wildly, only able to see trees all around. It looks like we were in a shipping container. I'm barely conscious. The adrenaline is keeping me going. I feel my arm stinging and look at my left inner elbow to see the syringe sticking out of me still. As I wrap my fingers around it, I can't stop my stomach from heaving and yellow water splatters on the dirt. The syringe falls to the ground and I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. I make my way carefully to the other side of the container.

We seem to be in a very secluded area. She wasn't kidding about disappearing. I'm in so much pain I can't see straight, but something gleams in the distance. I start feeling a light bubble in my chest, my mood brightening. I go towards the gleam in the woods. It's the car! Hallelujah. I get inside and lock the doors. I look around to make sure no one followed. I put the gun on the seat and keep the phone in my other hand. I start the engine and almost cry as it works perfectly. I carefully maneuver it out. I see Terry has come out of the container and is waving her arms madly at me. I ignored her and hit some speed in the little blue car. I find the lone dirt road and try to put as much space between us as possible. My fingers tremble as I hit a number I long ago memorized.

"Agent Rivers," Quinn's strong and steady voice barks into the phone. It's probably because he doesn't know who's calling.

"Quinn," I say, tears running down my cheeks. My heart is racing, my mouth is dry and I can feel droplets of sweat beading on my forehead. I hear him release a loud exhale.

"Oh thank God Sweetheart," he says and his voice sounds painful. My vision is blurring and I cry out as the car swerves. The bumping hurts my ribs and head.

"New York Pine Barrens," I make out, "hurry." I'm slamming on the breaks to no avail as the tree trunk gets closer and closer.

I scream as the impact hits. The airbag deploys and everything fades to black.

The beeping of the monitors is the first thing to orient me back to reality. The second is the tingling and hum going through my body. The third is the pain. I slowly open my eyes and squint in the bright light. Carlos is sitting beside me, his hand grasping mine. His eyes are tight with worry but he smiles as he sees me awake.

"Babe," he whispers before pressing a kiss to the back of my hand. I notice they have an IV going on the other side. I want to say something important but the only thing that comes out is "pain." My voice is raspy from the dryness. Carlos quickly stands, presses the call light and sticks his head out in the hall. The nurse arrives quickly, and Quinn also steps into the room. He throws me a smile but it's a little forced.

"It's good to see you awake, Agent Plum," one of the nurses says with a smile, "everyone's been worried." I manage a nod even though my head still aches. She adjusts something on the IV pump.

"I'm just administering your pain medicine," she says in a warm voice, "the doctor will be coming to check on you now that you're awake."

"Do you know what year it is?" she questions, grabbing an iPad to document.

"2019," I croak out. I rub my throat and water is offered. I take a few sips.

"What is your full name? Who is the current president?" I answer the rest of her questions easily. My eyes cut to Quinn.

"Did you find Terry Gilman?" I question hoping we will at least get to nail her junkie ass in the courtroom. His lips press into a thin line.

"We found her," he says sighing and I know there's more, "she was found a few meters down the road, dead." My eyes widen. She was definitely alive when I got out of there.

"Drug overdose?" I ask and then panic, "she injected me with some! Does the doctor know? What if something interacts and kills me?" I hear the monitor beep as my heart rate climbs to unhealthy limits.

"Agent Plum, you need to calm down. It's not good for you," the nurse says in a soothing voice, "don't worry. The doctor will explain everything." Carlos rubs his thumb over my knuckles. I take a deep breath and wince as I'm reminded of my ribs. I look up at Quinn.

"We need to look at Tony's beach house," I state with a clarity I didn't know I had, "that will get us everything we need to close this case." As I say it, I can feel my spidey sense tingle in agreement. Thank God, Terry was stupid enough to let things slip. I'm surprised I can remember it with all the shit I went through. Maybe this horrid experience was useful after all. Quinn nods and steps into the hallway.

"Babe," Carlos says, his warm brown eyes brimming with emotion. I shoot him a small smile. There is no one else I'd rather have at my side through this craziness. I tighten my grip on his hand.

"How are you doing, Batman?" I say in a croaky whisper. He shuts his eyes and I can see the stress from worrying over me.

"Better now that you opened your blue eyes," he breathes before leaning forward and nuzzling my neck with his nose, "you had me worried." I try to keep things light.

"You should know by now, I can take care of myself," I reply, "besides I knew you would have swooped in if I hadn't made a move in the next five minutes." Carlos lets out a humorless chuckle. I feel bad that I really worried him. We both have dangerous jobs so this is nothing new. He presses a kiss to my temple.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," he says almost inaudibly. I'm unsure if he intended for me to hear that or not. My eyelids become heavy again, and I hold his hand as I drift back to unconsciousness.

xxxx

After my injuries, I was off from field duty for three months and off work for one month. Carlos, of course, was the ever attentive and loving husband. I stayed with him on seven at RangeMan and helped with some searches when I wasn't able to log hours at the Bureau. What can I say? I've never been good at sitting still. Having Ella's wonderful food helped, of course. Carlos and I complement each other well and have a true partnership. Of course, having had a disastrous first marriage I was only a little worried about tying the knot a second time. Knowing Carlos, my fears were unfounded. I guess what having crazy jobs has taught us is that we were never going to be simple, 9-5 people. We found a home in each other and support no matter what. I'm so lucky.

Now, we've found a comfortable rhythm. Quinn and I still investigate organized crime, and we make a damn good team. Carlos runs RangeMan and still does field work. We both probably have three more good years where we can still safely do field work. FBI cutoff is at 37 and then it's desk job. Carlos and I have discussed, and I may become a part owner of RangeMan after my time in the FBI. Carlos has even extended the employment offer to Quinn.

It's funny to me that three years ago, I never would have imagined my life as it is now. I thought I was destined to eventually bow to the Burg style and marry Morelli. Thank god that didn't come to fruition. I'm a successful woman in a loving and respectful relationship with the love of my life.

I'm happy to report that Quinn has finally made his mom happy and settled down with a Swedish woman whose family lives in Pennsylvania. They met last winter at a ski resort. Rachel is a wonderful woman who challenges Quinn. They're expecting their first child next March. Carlos and I are content by ourselves and don't feel the need for children. I was never keen on the idea and I'm lucky to have a supportive husband. My mom and dad have their hands full with Val's kids. She ended up getting pregnant one more time after baby Lisa, and had twins. I don't envy her!

Carlos and I will be taking a month off starting in September to celebrate our third wedding anniversary in Italy. We'll also be visiting Greece while we are there. I'm beyond excited for this experience with him. He truly floored me with our honeymoon years ago where he took me to his motherland of Cuba. We stayed at an all-inclusive resort with a view of the ocean. He also toured me around Havana, and we stopped in to see his great aunt and uncle who never migrated to the United States.

We don't live an ordinary life, nor one that's simple. We've had our challenges and triumphs. I guess I'm just lucky I ended up with the man I did.

"Something burning, Babe?" Carlos questions from across the table. I guess I've been in my thoughts too long. I smile at my gorgeous husband. We're at his grandparent's Cuban restaurant in Newark to celebrate his birthday.

"Just thinking about our life," I say, feeling the emotion bubble up in my chest." He grabs my hand and rubs his thumb over mine.

"It's been a wild ride," he replies, giving me a 100-watt grin. I feel my panties dampen. Woo, what this man can do to me!

"I can't wait to see what the next few years have in store," I say, content.

"As long as I'm with you," he responds before leaning forward and giving me a kiss. We pull back and he's looking at me with hooded eyes.

"Can we leave now so I can enjoy my favorite dessert at home?" he asks with his wolf grin.

"Anything for the birthday boy," I reply. We stand and he can't get us out of there fast enough.

We arrive to RangeMan and hurry up to seven. Carlos' hands are on me as soon as we arrive. We're frenzied like new lovers. I just want to feel his skin on mine. We growls and scoops me up in one fluid movement. We're in bed, skin on skin, hard and fast. No doubt Carlos will want soft and slow for our second coupling. I'm not complaining. After we finish, we're cuddled up content and spent. My head is in the crook of his shoulder.

"Perfect end to the perfect birthday, Babe," Carlos says, his voice still husky. He presses a kiss to my forehead as we drift off to sleep in each others arms.

 _The End_


End file.
